Daily News Pakistan

During the last 24 hours, at least nine more people died in Balochistan. According to a Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) report, around 13,000 homes have also been damaged in the flash floods. The heavy monsoon spells have rendered Balochistan calamity stricken as at least 136 people have so far been confirmed dead due to flood related incidents. In Quetta, sinkholes were formed on many roads due to heavy rainfall. On the other hand, Punjab’s Jhang and Ranjanpur districts reeled under flood waves. The River Chenab overflowed near Jhang and water entered the populated areas. Officials feared overflowing Chenab could also cause floods near Gujranwala. In Rajanpur, which was hit by floods earlier this week, the Pakistan Army continues to carry out rescue operations. It has also set up medical and relief camps. In Dera Ghazi Khan, the flood water was receding and people who had migrated from the area were returning homes. However, in the Sindh province, several vill...

Sri Lanka’s new president Ranil Wickremesinghe has formally invited MPs to join an all-party unity government to revive the bankrupt economy by undertaking painful reforms, his office said on Sunday. Wickremesinghe took office earlier this month after public anger over the island nation’s worst economic crisis forced his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and quit. In a meeting on Saturday with the influential monks of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, one of Buddhism’s most sacred shrines, Wickremesinghe outlined his plans. “As the president, I wish to start a new journey,” Wickremesinghe was quoted as telling the monks in his first meeting with the powerful Buddhist clergy since taking office. “I would like to get all the parties together and go on that journey as well as to form an all-party government.” He has written to all lawmakers asking them to join a unity government. A former opposition MP, Wickremesinghe, 73, took up the premiership for the sixth tim...

US President Joe Biden again tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, according to a statement from the White House physician, although he is experiencing no symptoms and feels “quite well.” Biden, who tested positive for the disease nine days ago but then tested negative twice earlier this week, will resume isolation procedures, and his positive test is believed to be “rebound” positivity experienced by some Covid patients, according to White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor. Biden tweeted about his positive case, saying it can happen to a “small minority of folks.” “I've got no symptoms but I am going to isolate for the safety of everyone around me. I’m still at work, and will be back on the road soon,” he tweeted. Folks, today I tested positive for COVID again. This happens with a small minority of folks. I’ve got no symptoms but I am going to isolate for the safety of everyone around me. I’m still at work, and will be back on the road soon. — President Biden (@...

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Saturday said that the Opposition is not scared of anyone, no matter how much they are powerful or are a part of any organisation. Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, the JUI-F chief said that the allied parties will fight a political and constitutional war instead of surrendering. "The coalition government will not become anyone's slave," he told the institutions. "If the institutions form cases against us, we will respond strongly against them," said Fazl, claiming that "the institutions are standing with the PTI". Major setback to govt after SC declares Pervez Elahi CM Punjab, removes Hamza Shahbaz The PDM chief said that the coalition government will not get bullied by anyone. "All the allied parties will contest together in the by-elections," he added. Criticising the Supreme Court's decision of electing Pervez Elahi as the chief minister of Punjab, Fazl s...

PTI has decided to file a judicial reference against Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, as the party takes its tirade with the ECP chief up a notch. The decision came during a high-level PTI meeting chaired by Imran Khan, where the party leaders reviewed the coalition government's recent meeting with the CEC and other Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members. Khan and other PTI leaders have repeatedly demanded that the chief election commissioner resign from his post and the ECP be reconstituted before the next general elections. The meeting's participants also exchanged views over the ECP's attitude in the foreign funding case, according to sources. The PTI also decided that provincial governments would also take action against the election commission, and the provincial assemblies — in Punjab and Kyber Pakhtunkhwa — would pass no-confidence resolutions against the ECP. The meeting comes after Khan and his party have come under fire following a F...

An Islamabad district and sessions court on Saturday confirmed the pre-arrest bails of PTI chairman Imran Khan in 10 cases pertaining to alleged violence and damage to public property during the party’s “Azadi March” on May 25. The ex-premier appeared in the court of Judge Kamran Basharat Mufti alongside his counsel Babar Awan and PTI leader Shahbaz Gill. Imran had applied for pre-arrest bail in 15 FIRs registered against him at 11 police stations of the federal capital. During the hearing today, Awan said that his client had been booked in 15 cases of the “same nature” and requested that he be granted bail. At this, the judge asked the prosecutor if he had any objections. The court, subsequently, confirmed Imran’s pre-arrest bails in 10 cases and instructed him to submit surety bonds of Rs5,000. In another case, registered under sections of treason at the Kohsar police station, the court granted the PTI chief interim bail. The judge has summoned the record of the case at the n...

Heavy rains and floods have unleashed devastation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving 19 more dead and hundreds of others stranded in both provinces, disaster management authorities said. Relentless monsoon rains have pummeled the country and spelled disaster in towns, cities and villages alike. The Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps have been aiding the civil administration in rescue and relief operations in the provinces. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for Balochistan to visit the flood-affected areas of the province and review the rescue and relief operations in the province, Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Saturday. She tweeted that the premier had reached Jacobabad where he was briefed by officials of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the chief secretary of Balochistan. After Balochistan, he will also visit Punjab and Sindh. Balochistan in particular has seen uncharacteristically heavy rains during the monsoon season this...

A special court in Lahore on Saturday fixed September 7 for the indictment of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz, and others, for their alleged involvement in money laundering of Rs16 billion in the sugar scam case. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) booked Shehbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman in November 2021 under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of the Anti Money Laundering Act. Suleman Shehbaz is absconding in the UK. During the hearing today, property details of Suleman, who was declared a proclaimed offender in the multi-billion-rupee money laundering case, were submitted in the court. In December 2021, the FIA had submitted the challan against Shehbaz and Hamza before the special court for their alleged involvement in laundering an amount of Rs16 billion in the sugar scam case. According to the FIA report submitted to the court, the investigation team has "detected 28 benami accounts of the...

Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik said as per law of the land, no political party could get funds from other than Pakistani citizens. “If anyone has to do politics in Pakistan, funds can only be received from Pakistani citizens, not anyone else you cannot take funds from any foreign state or its cabinet member, if taken, it will not only be considered illegal but the party will also be ceased as per Pakistani laws ” he said while addressing a news conference. He said an international newspaper had narrated the story of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s foreign funds, which the party leadership received from Arif Naqvi, chief executive of a foreign company, ‘Abraj Capital’, which was being run with foreigners’ investment. He said Arif Naqvi, working as the ‘fund manager’ of foreign investors, was now facing jail in the United Kingdom on charges of fraudulent activities and for involvement in different ‘black money schemes’. Musadik Malik said a cricket club was established...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday lauded the security forces for carrying out a successful operation against terrorists in district Kech, Balochistan. The prime minister also condoled the death of Havaldar Hidayatullah from Lakki Marwat, who embraced shahadat during the operation. The entire nation saluted the sacrifices of its shuhada, he added. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of Naek Wazir Muhammad who was injured during the operation. On Friday, Inter-Services Public Relations said that security forces killed six terrorists during an operation conducted by security forces in the general area of Hoshab, district Kech of Balochistan. In a brief statement, the military’s media wing said the operation was conducted on information regarding the movement of a terrorist group on motorcycles towards Panjgur from Kech. "Security forces immediately cordoned the area and started a search operation to apprehend the terrorists," the ISPR said, adding that once sur...

Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto asserted that Pakistan has no plans of holding any bilateral meeting with India. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, who is currently attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Uzbekistan's capital, on Saturday said that the government was taking measures to improve its ties with all the counties, including the United States. Bilawal held six bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of Central Asian countries on the sidelines of the conference which is being held in connection with preparations for the SCO Heads of State meeting scheduled to be held in September. Bilawal held meetings with his counterparts from Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. “There are no plans of any meetings between Indian and Pakistani prime ministers in September,” Bilawal said, adding that both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO and the two countries are only e...

Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari on Friday lost the no-confidence motion passed by the provincial assembly, after he annulled 10 votes during the polls, a move which was deemed to be “unconstitutional.” On Friday, after PTI’s Sibtain Khan took charge as the new speaker of the House, former law minister Raja Basharat presented a resolution seeking permission to initiate no-confidence proceedings against Mazari as the deputy speaker. The resolution was approved for voting. After midnight, the voting began in the Punjab Assembly on the no-trust motion against Mazari through a secret ballot in which 186 lawmakers voted against Mazari, bringing his term as the deputy speaker to a premature end. The newly-elected Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan announced the result after vote count. The opposition alliance did not take part in the voting process.

Federal Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain says the government is working to improve education standard in the country in accordance with international standard. Talking to media persons in Karachi on Friday, the Minister said a new system of training for teachers is being introduced. Rana Tanveer Hussain said Higher Education Commission has been asked to introduce Ranking for universities at national level. He said skill based education will help youth to get job opportunities abroad. The Minister said all education boards are being linked for integrated policies and steps are being taken to increase enrollment.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority has issued alert for high flood in Chenab river. The high flood in the river is expected at at Marala Headworks in Sialkot district, Khanki headworks in Gujranwala district and Qadirabad headworks in Mandi Bahauddin district within next 24 to 48 hours, PDMA has warned. The PDMA has advised all concerned departments to get completely prepared to tackle any emergency situation. The authority has also advised for cancellation of the leaves of staff and getting heavy machinery prepared to tackle any contingency. Flood Forecasting Division has reported that water flow in River Chenab at Akhnor has reached 273,950 cusec and is rising continuously. All relevant departments have been directed to remain alert and complete their preparation. PDMA has advised all the authorities concerned to take all-out measures for evacuation of people.

The election for the Punjab Assembly speaker will be held today. The Punjab Assembly is all set to elect a new speaker on Friday to fill the position left vacant by Pervaiz Elahi who has become the province’s chief minister.  Tough contest is expected between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz . PTI and PML-Q have jointly fielded Sibtain Khan whereas Malik Saif ul Malook Khokhar of PML-N is the opposition’s candidate. Meanwhile, no confidence against Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Mir Dost Muhammad Mazari was also moved on Thursday and voting in this regard is also expected today. Parliamentary Leader in the Provincial Assembly Raja Bisharat submitted no-confidence motion against Dost Muhammad Mazari, which was passed by the house’s majority.

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of 11 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members exactly 109 days after they resigned from their seats. The NA speaker accepted the resignations of several key PTI leaders, including former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, ex-interior minister Ijaz Ahmed Shah, ex-state minister for parliamentary affairs Ali Muhammad Khan and ex-state minister for information and broadcasting Farrukh Habib. The other PTI lawmakers whose resignations have been accepted are Fazal Muhammad Khan, Shaukat Ali, Fakhar Zaman Khan, Jamil Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Akram Cheema, Abdul Shakoor Shad and Shandana Gulzar Khan. Mazari and Shandana were elected on the reserved seats for women from Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, respectively. All of the lawmakers had resigned on April 11 when former premier Imran Khan was being ousted through a no-confidence motion by the then united opposition and the incumbent ruling alliance. اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی @RPA...

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar called on Wednesday for creating a 'Private Sector Coordination Facility' to boost economic cooperation among the Developing-Eight (D-8) countries. Khar spoke virtually at the 20th session of the D-8 Council of Foreign Ministers, hosted by Bangladesh, the Foreign Office said. She called for creating a conducive environment for trade through facilitative legal frameworks, and equal opportunities for investment and business. Khar underscored that Pakistan's vision of geo-economics had socio-economic growth, connectivity, and development at its core. Through the cooperation and partnerships, the D-8 countries could realise their true economic potential. Khar highlighted that Pakistan’s location afforded critical overland and maritime connectivity to key regions of Asia – Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and China – that made Pakistan among the most pivotal states in the world, geo-politically. “We were confi...

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday urged former prime minister Imran Khan to dissolve assemblies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab — where his party is in power — saying that it was a prerequisite of his demand for general elections. The minister made the statement at a press conference in Islamabad as he insisted that the PTI chief would “never prefer early polls” and that “he is making such demands only to discredit the government.” Sanaullah said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif wanted the country to move towards elections, however, “this man [Imran] is asking for the sacking of chief election commissioner without realising that fact that the CEC cannot be replaced without fulfillment of a required constitutional process.” “The nomination for the current CEC was proposed by Imran when he was in the government, and now he could only be removed through the consent of judicial council,” he added. He said the ECP chief could not be sacked on mere threats hurled by Imran. He aske...

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) Thursday rejected Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial's nominated judges of higher courts for their appointment to the Supreme Court. CJP Bandial presided over the judicial commission's session, where a total of five judges, two from the Sindh High Court and three from the Lahore High Court (LHC), were considered. The chief justice, Justice Aijazul Ahsan, and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah voted in favour of the nominees, while Justice (retd) Sarmad Jalal Usmani voted in favour of three judges from LHC and voted against the SHC nominees, sources said. However, according to sources, their votes were less as Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Tariq Masood, Attorney-General Ashtar Ausaf Ali, and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar voted against all the five nominees. Upon receiving five votes against the nominees, the chief justice ended the session without reaching a decision, sources added. Had they been approved, then in line with Article 175-A of th...

two-day Exhibition on Gilgit Baltistan’s Gemstone and Mineral Sector is being organized at The Centaurus Mall Ground Floor Atrium from July 27th - July 28th, 2022 for the promotion of the hidden treasures of Gilgit-Baltistan. The Mines and Minerals Department of Gilgit-Baltistan is organizing the exhibition as a pioneering initiative of the department to uplift the minerals and gemstones sector of Gilgit- Baltistan. On the first day, honorable governor G-B Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi attended the event as chief guest. Expressing his views on the occasion, the governor appreciated the efforts of G-B government especially the department of Minerals and Mines for holding the exhibition and said he believed it would go a long way to showcasing G-B gemstones in international market. This exhibition has been supported by The Centaurus and Pakistan Gemstone and Mineral Association (PGMA). The supporters of the event including Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan, The Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashm...

Pakistan Army and FC troops are assisting civil administration in rescue and relief efforts in the flood affected areas of Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh. Two army aviation helicopters have been flown from Karachi to Othal, Lasbella. The helicopters will now shift stranded people to safer places and also transport necessary relief items. General Officer Commanding at Gwadar visited Othal area to oversee rescue and relief efforts. Ground rescue and relief teams are busy in Othal and Jhal Magsi to shift people to safer places and providing food and water to local residents. Doctors and paramedics are providing medical care to the affected people. The coastal highway has been opened for all types of traffic. Efforts are being made to repair the damaged communication infrastructure and restore utilities. Protection bund in Turbat which was breached has been repaired. In Punjab, troops are assisting civil administration in relief efforts in DG Khan. Two medical camps have been esta...

Former president Asif Ali Zardari has tested positive for Covid-19 with mild symptoms, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto said Thursday. Sharing the news on his Twitter handle, Bilawal said that the party's co-chairman was not only vaccinated but had also received booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine. "He is fully vaccinated, boosted, isolating with mild symptoms and undergoing treatment. We are praying for his swift recovery," Bilawal added. President Zardari has tested positive for Covid. He is fully vaccinated, boosted, isolating with mild symptoms and undergoing treatment. We are praying for his swift recovery. — BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) July 28, 2022

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that all state organs should act within the domains stipulated by constitution for a smooth and effective working of democratic system. In a tweet on Thursday, he said it was also the core of his argument during the speech at the National Assembly. Shehbaz Sharif said we will be moving in a circle getting nowhere without understanding it.  The core of my argument during my speech at NA was that for a democratic system to work smoothly & effectively, it is important that all state organs act within the domains stipulated by Constitution. Without understanding this, we will be moving in a circle, getting nowhere. — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) July 28, 2022

The PTI has finalised the name of the former provincial minister for forestry, wildlife and fisheries Sibtain Khan for the post of speaker of the Punjab Assembly. The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday declared the ruling of Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari in the Punjab chief minister's election "illegal", and ruled that PTI's candidate Pervez Elahi will be the new CM of the province. Following the verdict, PML-N's Hamza Shahbaz was removed from office with immediate effect and the Punjab cabinet was dissolved. The court also declared that all the appointments carried out under Hamza's rule null and void. According to the sources, Sibtain's name was finalised during a meeting between PTI Chairperson Imran Khan and CM Elahi. The party chairperson will also seek the opinions of other leaders regarding his choice of candidate. Meanwhile, the speaker's office in the Punjab Assembly has been turned into the chief minister's o...

Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh has been arrested by a team of anti-corruption establishment from Jamshoro. The PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh went to an anti-corruption court in Jamshoro to appear before it, however, the ACE team arrested him from outside the premise. An associate of the PTI leader accompanying him at the time of the arrest said that they went to the court to file their replies in the case. “We went to join the probe but they arrested him in another case registered against him,” he said. He added that Haleem Adil is currently being kept at a police station and the police have shown them a letter from anti-corruption East Karachi on which orders the arrest was made.  

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that any ban on his or other ministers’ entry into Punjab would lead to governor rule in the country’s most powerful province. Sanaullah warned of imposing governor's rule in Punjab after the Supreme Court removed Hamza Shahbaz as the chief minister and instated Imran Khan-backed Pervez Elahi to the top office. "The summary to impose governor's rule is being drafted, and I personally have started work on it," Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told a press conference. The interior minister said if his entry into Punjab is banned, it might lead to the imposition of the governor's rule in Pakistan's most populated province as PTI leaders had suggested prohibiting his entry in Punjab. The interior minister’s statement came in response to reporters’ query over the new Punjab government’s apparent plans to impose an embargo on a few federal ministers including Rana Sanaullah in an effort to pressurise the federal government...

Hours after the Supreme Court struck down Punjab Assembly deputy speaker’s ruling, President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath of Punjab chief minister to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at the President House. Earlier, it was decided to host the swearing-in ceremony at the Governor House but to the Punjab governor's dismay, the ceremony was shifted to President House, Islamabad following his refusal to administer oath. Elahi reached Islamabad at 1am on Wednesday morning to take the oath of office via a special flight from Lahore. Elahi was declared the chief minister elect by a Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday, which said that he should take oath of office by 11:30pm. The ruling said that if the Punjab governor did not administer the oath, Elahi would be sworn in by the president. On the journey from Lahore, Elahi was accompanied by Zain Qureshi, Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, Murad Ras and Chaudhry Wajahat.

Following the verdict of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to instate PTI's candidate Pervez Elahi as the chief minister of Punjab, the party's senior vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that "today, the Constitution's rule has been accepted and the Pakistani people's mandate has been respected". "On July 17, the people of Pakistan accepted Imran Khan's narrative wholeheartedly and we reject this imported government," the ex-foreign minister said in a press conference. A three-member bench of the Supreme Court today declared Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari's ruling in the Punjab Chief Minister election "illegal" and ruled that Pervez Elahi will be the new CM of the province. The Supreme Court's short order declared Pervez Elahi as the duly elected chief minister of Punjab as it ruled that he had obtained 186 votes compared to Hamza's 179. The order also declared that the oath of office administered to Hamza was ...

Big tech companies agreed on Monday to reduce harmful online content in New Zealand, making a move that critics said dodged the alternative of government regulation. Meta Platforms Inc, Alphabet-owned Google, TikTok, Amazon.com Inc and Twitter had signed a code of practice, said Netsafe, a government-funded internet-safety group. The companies would follow the code as self-regulation, Netsafe chief Brent Carey said in a statement. "There are too many Kiwis being bullied, harassed, and abused online, which is why the industry has rallied together to protect users," Carey said in a statement. Industry lobby group NZTech will be responsible for the companies meeting obligations, which include reducing harmful content online, reporting how they do that and supporting independent evaluation of results. "We hope the governance framework will enable it to evolve alongside local conditions, while at the same time respecting the fundamental rights of freedom of expression,...

After 31 years, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission (AJ&K EC) will hold local government elections in the month of September on party basis. This was announced by the Chief Election Commissioner CEC Justice Retd Abdul Rasheed Sulehria on Tuesday along with AJ&K EC members Farooq Niaz and Farhat Ali Mir while addressing the media. "The apex court of AJ&K has given us a deadline to conduct polls before October 12, 2022 however, we are ready to conduct them in the month of September this year," said CEC Justice Retd Sulehria. Senior Member AJ&K EC Farooq Niaz said that all arrangements have been completed to ensure impartial local bodies polls aimed at shifting the power to the people at the grassroots level. "Real beauty of democracy lies in the local government system where people have access at Union Council level to get their civic problems solved." “We are also supporting giving funds according to the population at all UCs to condu...

China has reiterated its commitment to work with Pakistan to push forward all CPEC projects in a safe, smooth, and high-quality manner, to better benefit the two countries and their people. The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian, during his regular briefing in Beijing said China is ready to follow through on the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries in this regard. He said China and Pakistan have agreed on participation of third parties in CPEC and exchanges among media and think tanks, including promoting cooperation schemes involving third parties in line with the existing consensus and extending CPEC projects to Afghanistan. Meanwhile, in a tweet, Pakistan's Ambassador to China Moin-ul-Haque said the third meeting of CPEC Joint Working Group on International Cooperation placed emphasis on high-quality development of CPEC. He said as an open and inclusive platform, both sides welcomed interested third parties to benefit from avenues ...

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa disaster management authorities have issued a warning to take preventative action against flooding before opening the spillway of Tarbela Dam to flush out extra water and make room for fresh inflow. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a warning that the spillway gates of the dam would be opened in the following 24 hours due to rising water levels, which could result in a lower-level flood in the Indus River. It asked the district administrations in Swabi, Haripur and Nowshera to adopt precautionary measures for the safety of life and property. The current water inflow in Tarbela Dam was recorded at 243,000 cusecs while the outflow was 136,800, adding that the water level at the dam had surged to 1,511 feet. The authority also asked people residing alongside the banks of the Indus River to stay vigilant and observe water’s flow in the river, advising them to relocate their animals and essential household items to safer places in case o...

Rescue and Relief operations are underway in rain affected areas of Karachi and civic agencies are busy in draining stagnant rain water from low-lying areas. According to media reports staff of different departments including local bodies is busy in ensuring cleanliness in affected areas. Most of the roads and areas have been cleared by civic agencies by using machinery and de-watering pumps. Meanwhile complete ban has been imposed by commissioner Karachi on swimming in the sea due to on-going rains and high tides in the sea.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on PML-Q leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s petition challenging the deputy speaker’s ruling in the recently held re-election for the Punjab chief minister, which led to Hamza Shehbaz’s victory. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar is expected to announce the decision today evening. Earlier today, the counsel for Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari, Irfan Qadir, informed the Supreme Court that his client had instructed him not to participate further in the case proceedings and he would instead file a petition for review of the court’s decision not to constitute a full bench. PPP counsel Farooq H. Naek also declined to participate in the court proceedings. However, they both stayed in the courtroom and watched the proceedings. During the election, Mazari had decided against counting the votes of 10 PML-Q lawmakers, which were cast in ...

Leaders of the coalition government announced to boycott the court’s proceedings after the Supreme Court rejected the plea seeking the formation of a full court bench in petitions related to the Punjab chief minister’s re-election. The coalition parties opted to boycott the court’s proceeding after a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Munib Akhtar turned down the government’s request for constituting a full court to hear the pleas regarding election of the Chief Minister of Punjab. The PDM chief said that they would not appear before this bench for this case and will boycott it. “If the full court is rejected, we also reject this decision of the judiciary, we will not appear before this bench and we will boycott the case,” he added. Fazl said that the coalition govt did not want any interference in its affairs that impacts the administrative functioning, adding that the incumbent government, given mandate by the people,...

As persistent rains wreak havoc in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday appreciated the efforts of formations in relief operations to mitigate the challenges of people affected due to floods and heavy rainfall in the country, the military said in a statement. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief expressed these remarks during the 249th Corps Commanders’ Conference held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The ISPR said that the forum took a comprehensive review of the security situation with a particular focus on the border and internal security. The COAS lauded successful ongoing counter-terrorism operations and paid rich tribute to the supreme sacrifices of officers and men to ensure the security of borders and the safety of the masses. The statement said that General Bajwa also appreciated the efforts of formations in relief operations to mitigate the challenges of people affecte...

A volcano on Japan's major western island of Kyushu, called Sakurajima, erupted at about 8:05 p.m. (1105 GMT) on Sunday, the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) said, but media said there were no immediate reports of damage. "Eruptions are continuing, with another massive one reported early on Monday morning. Volcanic smoke reached a height of 2,200 meters (7,218 feet)," the weather officials said. There were reports of volanic stones raining down at a distance of 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from the volcano, NHK public television had earlier said, adding that the eruption alert level had been raised to 5, the highest, with some areas advised to evacuate. Sakurajima is one of Japan's most active volcanoes and eruptions of varying levels take place on a regular basis. In 2019 it spewed ash 5.5 km (3.4 miles) high. Video footage from Sunday's eruption showed what appeared to be a red mass flowing down one side of the volcano, with red projectiles shooting out while sm...

Russia’s top diplomat reassured Egyptian leaders on Sunday that their orders for Russian grain would be met as he began a tour of African countries dependent on imports for their food supply. “We confirmed the commitment of Russian exporters of cereal products to meet their orders in full,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference after talks with Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry. “President Vladimir Putin stressed this during a recent telephone call with Egyptian President (Abdel Fattah) al-Sisi.” Lavrov’s visit comes hot on the heels of a landmark deal Russia and Ukraine signed on Friday with the United Nations and Turkey aimed at relieving a global food crisis caused by blocked Black Sea grain deliveries. Between 20 million and 25 million tonnes of grain have been blocked in Ukrainian ports since Russian troops invaded in February, as Ukraine has laid naval mines to prevent an amphibious invasion of its coast. The deal provides for the creation of safe corridors...

Sri Lanka’s besieged presidential office will reopen on Monday (Jul 25), police said, days after anti-government demonstrators were flushed out in a military crackdown that triggered international condemnation. Widespread public anger over the island’s unprecedented economic crisis saw protesters storm and occupy the colonial-era building earlier this month. Soldiers were forced to rescue then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa from his nearby residence on the same day, with the leader fleeing to Singapore and resigning days later. Troops armed with batons and automatic weapons cleared the 92-year-old presidential secretariat in a pre-dawn raid on Friday on the orders of Rajapaksa’s successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe. At least 48 people were wounded and nine arrested in the operation, during which security forces tore down tents set up by protesters outside the complex since April. “The office is ready for reopening from Monday,” said a police official on Sunday, who declined to be named...

The coalition government has decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) for the formation of a full court bench to hear cases related to the interpretation of Article 63-A of the Constitution, related to the status of defecting lawmakers, according to a statement issued by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday. The issue was thrust into the limelight on Friday when Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari decided not to count PML-Q's votes in the Punjab chief minister’s election, deeming them to be against party head Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain's directions and thus handing Hamza Shehbaz the victory over PML-Q leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi. Mazari's ruling was challenged by Elahi in a petition filed and in Saturday's hearing at the SC's Lahore registry, the apex court allowed Hamza to stay as a “trustee” Punjab chief minister till Monday. Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial had also remarked that prima facie, the deputy speak...

Hundreds of people protested Saturday in Tunis against a draft constitution put forward by President Kais Saied, demanding his resignation before Tunisia votes on the disputed charter. The referendum will take place a year to the day after Saied sacked the government and suspended parliament in a decisive blow against the country’s often chaotic young democracy. “Get out”, the demonstrators yelled as they waved Tunisia’s red-and-white flag at a gathering on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the capital. “The people want the fall of Kais Saied; the people want the fall of the constitution,” chanted those who rallied in response to a call by the National Salvation Front (FSN) opposition alliance. Tunisia is preparing to vote tomorrow on a draft constitution that would enshrine the vast powers that Saied has exercised since he sacked the government and suspended parliament on July 25 last year.

Planning minister Ahsan Iqbal, in reaction to a news report of a national reconciliation in the works, has attributed it to PTI Chairman Imran Khan feeling the "noose around him tightening" in the foreign funding case. "Perhaps Imran Khan feels the noose around him tightening in the foreign funding case and so he has suggested such talks take place," Iqbal said. The PML-N leader warned that no dialogue can be held for an "NRO" in the foreign funding case. He said he is unaware of any plans for general elections to be held in October. The establishment is considering a "soft intervention" under which it may mediate between PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the coalition parties — comprising PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, and others. Sources said that there are chances of a "grand dialogue" between the Opposition and the government with the intervention of the establishment. The development comes as the Pakistani rupee continues its downward trend ...

Sri Lankan security forces raided and partially cleared a protest camp occupying government grounds in Colombo early on Friday, fuelling fears that President Ranil Wickremesinghe had launched a crackdown a day after being sworn in. Media footage showed soldiers in riot gear and armed with assault rifles tearing down the camp, set up in April by protesters enraged by the country's economic collapse and acute shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Wickremesinghe, a six-time prime minister, was sworn in as president on Thursday after winning a parliamentary vote to succeed Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled to Singapore last week in the wake of massive public protests triggered by Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis in seven decades. "A joint operation involving the military, police and police special forces was launched in the early hours to recover the presidential secretariat from the protesters as they have no legal right to hold it," police spokesperson Nalin Thalduwa t...