Finance Minister advises FBR to increase efforts in tax collection

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has advised the Federal Board of Revenue to increase its efforts in tax collection to bring the tax to GDP ratio to 15 percent.

He said this while chairing an FBR meeting in Islamabad on Thursday.

Chairman FBR Asim Ahmad briefed that FBR has successfully achieved its monthly targets for the months of July and August, 2022 and will also achieve the quarterly target up to this month.

He said this performance is despite the slowing down of economy in the month of September due to floods, import contraction and shrinking of demands due to inflation in the country as well as no sales tax imposed on petroleum products.

The Finance Minister appreciated the FBR team for their efforts in meeting the targets. He has also ensured the team that he will be engaged more frequently with them and will extend support for the performance of their duties. He advised the FBR team to position themselves to the quick changes in economic outlook.

Overall, the Finance Minister appreciated the good work done by FBR in terms of increasing the share of direct taxes in the total share of taxes as compared to last year through the important tax measures taken this year for taxing the rich.

The Finance Minister also highlighted the importance of taxpayers’ engagement in devising the tax policies and revenue collection efforts.

The meeting was attended by the top leadership of the FBR.

Meta to freeze hiring to tighten budget

Facebook-parent Meta put out word to employees on Thursday that it will freeze hiring to cut costs as it endures tough economic times, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg revealed a planned pause in hiring during a weekly all-hands meeting, the Journal reported, saying the move came as the social media titan planned to cut expenses by at least 10 per cent.

Meta declined to comment on the report, instead referring AFP to remarks Zuckerberg made in July when the company reported its first quarterly revenue drop and a plunging profit.

Zuckerberg said during an earnings call that teams would shrink in order to “reallocate our energy” as it battled a turbulent economy and the rising phenomenon of TikTok.

Meta had long delivered seemingly endless upward growth, but reported early this year its first decline in global daily users.

“This is a period that demands more intensity, and I expect us to get more done with fewer resources,” Zuckerberg told analysts during an earnings call.

Big tech platforms have been suffering from the economic climate, which is forcing advertisers to cut back on marketing budgets, and Apple’s data privacy changes, which have reduced leeway for ad personalisation.

Snap and e-commerce colossus Amazon are among tech firms that have announced workforce cuts this year.

PM Shehbaz appointed Dar house leader in Senate

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was appointed as leader of the house in the Senate on Friday, according to a notification issued by the Senate Secretariat.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), appointed Dar to the post.

Earlier this year, the premier had appointed federal law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar as leader of the house in the Senate.

It is pertinent to note that Dar was sworn in as a senator a day after he had returned to the country after a five-year-long 'self-exile'. Following this, he was sworn in as the new finance minister.

The PML-N leader had left the country in 2017 while standing trial in a corruption reference.

The move came after former finance minister Miftah Ismail stepped down from his post to make way for the PML-N senator.

The decision to appoint Dar as the new financial czar was made following an important party meeting held under the chairmanship of party supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in London.

On Wednesday he had appeared before an accountability court in the assets reference, right after taking the oath of office as federal minister.

Explaining his reason to not have had appeared before the court all these years, Dar had told the court that his passport was cancelled by the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, and all embassies had also been instructed to not issue a new passport to him.

“In spite of my poor health, I still wanted to return and now that I have been issued a passport, I have come back,” Dar had told Judge Muhammad Bashir.

During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was issued a notice on Dar's plea seeking cancellation of the arrest warrant against him.

Another purported audio leak of Imran Khan, team over cypher surfaces

Another purported audio clip of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his team has surfaced, just days after a sound bite of the former prime minister allegedly telling his then-principal secretary Azam Khan to "play" with the US cypher had come to the fore.

The latest audio, reportedly featuring PTI's Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Azam Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, can be heard below.

Following is a rough transcription of the audio:

Imran Khan: Shah jee (Shah Mahmood), we three have to hold a meeting tomorrow, along with the foreign secretary. [In the meeting], we will ask him to just sit quietly and write the meeting's minutes as is. Azam [Khan] is saying to write the minutes [...] and we will photostat it.

Azam Khan: This cypher came on the 8th or 9th. It came on the 8th.

Imran Khan: But the meeting took place on the 7th. We do not have to take the Americans' names under no condition. But on this issue, please, nobody should name the country. This is very important for all of you. From which country did the letter come? I don't want to hear it from anyone.

Asad Umar: You are intentionally calling it a letter. This isn't a letter, it is a transcript of the meeting.

Imran Khan: It is the same thing, whether it be a meeting's transcript of a letter. People won't understand what a transcript is. You have to say this in your jalsas.

Suicide attack at education institute in Kabul kills 19

A suicide attack at an education institute in the Afghan capital Kabul killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens, police said on Friday, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.

Many of those living in the western area where the blast occurred are Hazara, an ethnic minority targeted in past attacks.

Kabul police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said the official toll was 19 people dead and 27 wounded.

He said the attack took place at an education institute where an entrance exam was taking place. Schools are usually closed in Afghanistan on Fridays.

It was reported that the suicide attacker killed the security guards in the alley and at the gate of the educational centre and injured two officials inside with small arms fire, before detonating his suicide vest in a classroom where the entrance exam was taking place.

"Attacking civilian targets proves the enemy's inhuman cruelty and lack of moral standards," said Zadran , without specifying who was believed to be behind the attack.

The official death toll is likely to rise. A hospital source said 23 people had been killed. A Taliban source said 33 people had been killed and that female students were among the casualties.

Ghulm Sadiq, a local resident, said he was at home when he heard a loud sound and went outside to see smoke rising from the education centre where he and neighbours rushed to help.

"My friends and I were able to move around 15 wounded and 9 dead bodies from the explosion site ... other bodies were lying under chairs and tables inside the classroom," he said.

Since taking over Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban have emphasised that they are securing the nation following decades of war, but in recent months there have been a series of blasts at mosques and civilian areas.

Teenage students were among the 24 people killed in a 2020 attack claimed by the militant Islamic State at an education centre in west Kabul.

PM Shehbaz, Hamza's money laundering case suspend till October 8

Special Court (Central) adjourned the hearing till October 8 in the Rs16 billion money laundering case filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against Shehbaz and Hamza.

During today's hearing, Hamza did not appear before the court as he had sought exemption on medical grounds. Moments into the hearing, the prime minister also sought exemption as he had "important" matters to attend to.

The premier also told the court that a "fake case" has been registered against him and that he had made several decisions in the interest of the people, hurting his family business in the process.

PM Shehbaz's lawyer, Amjad Pervaiz, who presented his arguments today will continue them at the next hearing as well.

At the outset, the premier's lawyer, Amjad Pervaiz, told the court that his client will appear before it in a while. Shortly after, the premier arrived at the hearing.

Starting his arguments, Pervaiz said that the first information report (FIR) registered against his clients mentioned they were involved in money laundering worth Rs25 billion from 2008-2018 through fake companies.

"The allegations are general in nature. The FIR also mentions that the Sharif Group's companies were used for money laundering. However, in those 10 years, Shehbaz was neither the director nor a shareholder of those companies."

The FIR, Pervaiz said, was lodged after investigation and the initial paragraphs of the report do not mention Shehbaz.

The lawyer told the court that it is up to an individual whether they decide to keep movable or immovable property with them. At this, judge Aijaz Awan noted that they should declare it otherwise it becomes black money.

"If such is the case, the FIA would have taken action. This FIR was lodged in the previous government's tenure. The court, with regards to the cases lodged in the previous government's tenure, has already said that FIA was used for political engineering," the lawyer pointed out.

In the FIR, it isn't mentioned that low-paid employees claimed that they opened bank accounts on Shehbaz's directions, Pervaiz told the court.

Pervaiz said that the prosecution claims that Shehbaz was involved in hiding Rs4 billion that he was able to get through selling sugar, however, we will still have to review the FIR to confirm whether this comes in the FIA's jurisdiction or not.

"The FBR [Federal Board of Revenue] or the income tax department can take action in this matter," he said.

"They (prosecution) use the name of Sharif group for political purposes. The name Sharif Group is not registered under the companies ordinance," he added.

Interrupting his lawyer, PM Shehbaz said he wanted to speak. The court allowed it.

"I have some important business in Islamabad. If you excuse me, I will leave. But before that, I want to say something."

The prime minister told the court that he, in his capacity as the chief minister of Punjab for 20 years, made decisions that "hurt" his family's sugar business.

"I was requested to provide subsidy to sugar mills, but I refused. I refused as the amount (that would be used for subsidy) was of the poor people in Punjab," he said.

The PM termed the money laundering case against him as "fake" and said that he never provided a subsidy to sugar mills.

Noting that he had several other matters to attend to, the premier said that he has been handed an important responsibility during these pressing times.

"Petrol prices are going up. There are floods in the country. Every dollar is precious to us. I've prohibited exporting sugar as people would not forgive me if the price of sugar rose."

If Pakistan exported sugar, the country will get foreign exchange reserves and no one likes stopping them from trickling in, he mentioned.

After the court allowed him, Shehbaz left.

In December 2021, the FIA submitted a challan against Shehbaz and Hamza to the special court for their alleged involvement in laundering Rs16 billion in a sugar scam.

According to the FIA report submitted to the court, the investigation team "detected 28 benami accounts of the Shehbaz family through which money laundering of Rs16.3bn was committed from 2008-18. The FIA examined a money trail of 17,000 credit transactions."

The report added that the amount was kept in "hidden accounts" and "given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity".

This amount (Rs16 billion) has nothing to do with the sugar business (of Shehbaz's family), it claimed. The money allegedly received from the accounts of low-wage employees was transferred outside Pakistan via hundi/hawala networks, ultimately destined for the beneficial use of his family members, the FIA had said.

"Eleven low-paid employees of the Sharif group who 'held and possessed' the laundered proceeds on behalf of the principal accused, are found guilty of facilitating money laundering. The three other co-accused of the Sharif group also actively facilitated the money laundering," the agency had said.

Waning Hurricane Ian creeps across Florida after battering Gulf Coast

A weakened but still formidable Hurricane Ian chugged across Florida toward the Atlantic seaboard on Thursday after thrashing the state’s Gulf Coast with fierce winds, torrential downpours and raging surf that flooded oceanside communities.

Ian blasted ashore with catastrophic force on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, and quickly plunged the region’s flat, low-lying landscape into a scene of devastation.

Ian’s winds, making it one of the most intense storms to strike the US mainland in recent years, diminished significantly after nightfall. Within eight hours of its arrival, Ian was downgraded to Category 1 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, with top sustained winds of 90 mph, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.

However, the sprawling, slow-moving hurricane continued to unleash drenching rains as it crept farther inland, threatening to trigger extensive additional flooding.

“This storm is doing a number on the state of Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis, who asked US President Joe Biden to approve a major federal disaster declaration providing a wide range of US emergency aid to the entire state.

There were no official reports of storm-related fatalities or serious injuries. An unspecified number of people were known to be stranded and in need of help in “high-risk” areas after choosing to ride out the storm at home rather than heed evacuation orders, but they were beyond the immediate reach of rescue crews, DeSantis said.

Separately, US border authorities said 20 Cuban migrants were missing after their boat sank off the Florida coast as Ian neared the coast on Wednesday.

At 10 pm eastern daylight time on Wednesday, strong gusts and horizontal rains were still lashing Venice, Florida, a city of about 25,000 residents some 32 miles northwest of where Ian first came ashore at the barrier island of Cayo Costa seven hours earlier.

Larger structures remained mostly intact, but small, residential areas off of Highway 41, a major artery through the area, were left in a shambles.

Downed trees and power lines covered roadways to the point that the asphalt was not visible, roofs were ripped off of some homes, and water was pouring into neighbourhoods from seemingly all directions.

A large open lot in front of a Winn Dixie grocery store became a lake, with white-capping waters reaching the trunks of some the cars parked there. Power was out in larger swaths of the area, with communications nearly impossible in many spots.

Ian was forecast to weaken further as it crossed the Florida peninsula on a northeasterly track, and was expected to reach the Atlantic Coast on Thursday afternoon, possibly as a tropical storm, according to the NHC.

But Ian remained a potent force. Up to 30 inches of rain was forecast to fall on parts of central Florida, the NHC said. By late Wednesday night, the storm had knocked out power to at least two million homes and businesses statewide, utilities reported.

Hours before, Florida’s idyllic southwestern shoreline, dotted with sandy beaches, coastal towns and mobile home parks, was rapidly transformed into a disaster zone inundated by seawater.

Video images of the storm’s fury on local TV and social media showed floodwater nearly reaching rooftops in some communities, sweeping away cars and the ruins of homes as palm trees were bent almost in half.

Having pummelled Cuba on Tuesday, leaving the island nation without power for hours, Ian swept into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and reached its peak wind speeds of 155 mph, just shy of a Category 5 designation, shortly before landfall in Florida on Wednesday.

DeSantis said Ian had generated life-threatening storm surges — waves of wind-driven seawater rushing in along the coast — of up to 12 feet in some places.

Forecasters also warned of intense thunderstorms and possible tornadoes.

“This is a storm that we will talk about for many years to come, an historic event,” said Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service.

By comparison, Hurricane Michael came ashore in Florida’s panhandle in 2018 with steady winds of 155 mph, while Ida last year packed sustained winds of 150 mph when it landed in Louisiana.

Even as Ian lashed the coast before it finally swept ashore, authorities warned residents it was too late for anyone who had yet to evacuate to safely do so. Earlier this week, more than 2.5 million residents had been told to evacuate.

Many mobile home residents took refuge in local schools and other facilities converted to emergency shelters. The area’s numerous assisted-living facilities were mostly evacuated, too.

 

Sarah murder case: Islamabad court extends remand of suspect Shahnawaz for 4 days

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday extended the physical remand of Shahnawaz Amir — the main suspect in the Sarah Inam murder case — for another four days.

Shahnawaz was arrested last week for allegedly killing his Canadian national wife. The incident took place at a farmhouse located in Shahzad Town where the suspect lived along with his mother, Sameena Shah.

During today’s hearing, Shahnawaz was presented in the court of Civil Judge Muhammad Amir Aziz upon the expiry of his remand. No counsel representing the defendant or the victim’s family appeared before the court.

As the hearing commenced, the prosecutor requested the judge to extend Shahnawaz’s remand for another five days.

“We have to hold further inquiry into the money that the suspect had been receiving [from the deceased],” the officer told the court.

The judge also asked about the number of days the suspect had been in police custody. “He has been in custody for five days now,” the officer responded.

The court subsequently extended Shahnawaz’s remand by another four days.

Meanwhile, the counsel of senior journalist and former politician Ayaz Amir — the suspect’s father — urged the court to issue directions to the police to return his client’s mobile phone.

However, the prosecutor said the mobile phone had been sent for a forensic analysis, adding: “Ayaz had told investigators that his phone had a picture related to the incident.”

Ayaz’s counsel, however, contended that the phone had nothing to do with the investigation.

After hearing arguments, the judge rejected Ayaz’s plea. “The phone should be returned once the investigation is completed,” the judge remarked.

It is pertinent to mention here that the court had on Tuesday discharged the senior journalist from the charge of abetment in the case.

However, the court had advised the police that he may be arrested again if any evidence was found against him, after taking permission from the court.

The case

Police have become a complainant in the case, with the FIR registered on the complaint of Shahzad Town Station House Officer Nawazish Ali Khan.

The complaint stated that on September 23, Sameena called police and informed them that Shahnawaz had murdered his wife “with a dumbbell”.

“My son is present in the house and has hidden the body,” the FIR quoted Sameena as saying, adding that the police subsequently raided the house.

“He had locked himself up in his room. When they broke inside, there were blood stains on Shahnawaz’s hands and clothes,” the police said in the complaint.

“He then confessed that he had repeatedly hit his wife with a dumbbell during an argument and then hid her body in the washroom’s bathtub.”

According to the FIR, Shahnawaz also said he had “hidden” the murder weapon under his bed.

Upon examining the dumbbell, the police found blood and hair on it. “We have sent it for forensics,” the FIR added.

The complaint further stated that the victim’s body had been sent to the Polyclinic Hospital for a postmortem examination.

Sarah’s father has demanded that Shahnawaz be “sentenced to death” within two to three hearings.

 

 

COAS inaugurates Chaklala Cricket Ground

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa inaugurated newly renovated 501 Central Workshop Cricket Ground named as Chaklala Cricket Ground in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

The cricket ground was upgraded to provide state of the art sports facility to cricket fans especially for the youth of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The sports ground will be available to students and cricket clubs of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to promote the game of cricket and provide healthy sports environment.

In his remarks, the Army Chief appreciated the efforts of Rawalpindi Corps for renovating the old cricket ground and providing an excellent cricketing facility for the city.

NEPRA reduces KE power tariff by Rs4.87

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority on Thursday approved a reduction of Rs4.87 per unit for K-Electric consumers on account of fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for August 2022.

The hearing of KE's fuel adjustment application in NEPRA was presided over by the power regulator's Chairman Tauseef H Farooqi.

In a statement, the chairman said with the reduction in the power tariff, KE customers will get relief of more than Rs7 billion.

NEPRA said KE's own cost of power generation is around Rs38 per unit and it buys electricity at a cost of Rs13.61 per unit. Hence, the power utility is getting Rs24 per unit of cheaper electricity from the producer.

KE officials informed the chairman that to reduce production costs, the power distributor plans to increase the production of renewable energy and gas. The chairman mentioned that the government currently subsidizes Rs15 per unit.

“KE must inform the regulator on its measures to increase cheaper production,” stated Farooqui.

Earlier this month, NEPRA approved a reduction in power tariff by Rs4.12 per unit for consumers of K-Electric (KE) on account of the fuel cost adjustment for July 2022.

FM Bilawal terms US visit 'successful'

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto said that his purpose for visiting the US was to help the flood victims in Pakistan. He also vowed that they would require a lot of work for the flood victims.

"At this critical time, the demand for snap polls is like playing with the lives of the flood victims," he said, addressing a press conference in Washington on Thursday.

He said the United Nations Secretary-General put the flood issue on top of the agenda during the UN session. He expressed gratitude to the world community for the help they offered to Pakistan for the flood victims.

The minister said, "We have not reached the stage of reconstruction and rebuilding. We are still in the phase of relief and rescue."

"You must have witnessed improvement in the country's foreign affairs during the six months of our government. Also, you must witness a clear difference between today's Pakistan and what it was six months ago," Bilawal noted.

Bilawal said Pakistan faces shortage of food as crops have been destroyed by floods. Pakistan faced massive flooding right after the country inked an agreement with the IMF, he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war have triggered price hike around the globe, he said.

Bilawal said, "Besides floods, our agenda was to improve relations with the US. The visit to the US was successful." Both the countries are expected to make further progress in trade, agriculture, health and other sectors, he said.

He suggested that India and Pakistan work together on climate change issues. The world would suffer if there is no agreement on climate change issues, he warned.

Bilawal said the ten biggest countries affected by climate change will have to raise their voices together. He proposed to the world to work together as it is the only solution to the climate change problem.

 

Rupee gains further strength against dollar

In the interbank market during the intraday trade, the dollar's value declines by 1.12 to 231 per rupee.

The rupee gained in value Thursday for the fifth consecutive trading session against the dollar after a change of leadership at the Ministry of Finance and a warning from Ishaq Dar to the speculators playing with the local currency.

In the interbank market during the intraday trade, the dollar's value declined by 1.12 to 231 per rupee, down from the previous session's close of 232.12.

Facebook owes reparations to Rohingya for Myanmar hate content

Facebook should pay reparations to the hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas forced from their homes in Myanmar in a campaign exacerbated by rampant online hate speech, Amnesty International has said in a report.

According to international media, the Rohingyas, a mainly Muslim minority, were targeted by Myanmar's military rulers in 2017 and driven into neighbouring Bangladesh, where they have since lived in sprawling refugee camps.

Victims' associations and rights advocates say the violence was ramped up by Facebook's algorithms, saying they play up extremist content that encourages harmful disinformation and hate speech.

"Many Rohingya tried to report anti-Rohingya content via Facebook's 'report' function" but to no avail, allowing these hateful narratives to proliferate and reach unprecedented audiences in Myanmar," Amnesty said in its report.

It noted the revelations from the whistle-blower "Facebook Papers" divulged in October 2021, indicating that company executives knew the site fuelled the spread of toxic content against ethnic minorities and other groups.

Three legal suits have been lodged against Facebook by Rohingya representatives, in the US and Britain as well as with the OECD group of developed economies, under its guidelines for responsible business conduct.

Colombia senator brings horse to Congress after new pet policy

Members of Colombia's Congress can now bring their pets to work, in a world first, and for one senator, wild horses couldn't have dragged him away from marking the first day of the new rule.

According to international media, Alirio Barrera showed up to work on Tuesday astride his white horse.

He first rode through the capital Bogota before steering his steed into the halls of Congress, to make a statement about the importance of horses to the Colombian countryside.

"It is a tribute to the farmers, to the men and women, to the herdsmen who live with horses. To all those people who work in the fields," he told reporters.

Prince Mohammed Bin Salman named Saudi prime minister

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was named the country’s prime minister on Tuesday.

King Salman also ordered a cabinet reshuffle, naming his son Khalid Bin Salman, the former deputy defence minister, as the new defence minister.

Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman stays as energy minister under a new cabinet, to be headed by the crown prince, according to a royal decree.

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud, Finance Minister Moham­med al Jadaanand and Investment Minister Khalid al Falih kept their positions in the new cabinet.

Prince Mohammed, who turned 37 last month, has been first in line to succeed his father as king since 2017.

Saudi Arabia has for years sought to quell speculation over the health of the 86-year-old king, who has ruled the world’s top oil exporter since 2015.

In 2017, it dismissed reports and mounting speculation that the king was planning to abdicate in favour of Prince Mohammed.

Prince Mohammed became defence minister in 2015, a key step in a swift consolidation of power.

In that role he has overseen Saudi Arabia’s military activities in Yemen, where Riyadh leads a coalition backing the internationally recognised government in its fight against Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.

He has also become the public face of a sweeping reform agenda known as Vision 2030.

Aleem's security staff booked in terrorism case

Aleem Khan’s security staff was booked in a terrorism case on Wednesday after they allegedly attacked government employees.

According to Punjab Home Minister Col (retd) Hashim Dogar, security officials of Aleem's Park View Housing Society in Lahore reportedly attacked assistant commissioner Lahore and other government employees.

The minister added that by attacking government officials, the attackers "challenged the writ of the state".

“Two FIRs have been registered against them under Section 7 ATA. Seven people have been arrested after the raid,” he added.

President Alvi, PM Shehbaz discuss overall situation of country

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday to discuss the country’s security and economic situation.

This is the second time the two held a meeting since Shehbaz’s ascension to power after ousting former premier Imran Khan.

It is pertinent to note that last month, amid growing political volatility, President Alvi had offered to reach out to both PM Shehbaz and former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan to thaw the political impasse over a spate of thorny issues and find a broad consensus for fresh elections and a charter of economy.

According to sources, the meeting today took place prior to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ishaq Dar’s oath-taking ceremony. The two leaders also discussed the matter of audio leaks from the Prime Minister’s Office which surfaced on social media over the weekend.

The premier further informed President Alvi about meetings with various heads of state during the 77th United Nations General Assembly session in New York last week.

Newly appointed finance minister Ishaq Dar also met the president at the Aiwan-i-Sadr immediately after taking the oath of his office. Both expressed concern over the country's economic situation and reviewed the damages to the economy caused by the devastating floods.

Dar informed Alvi of his plan to deal with the economic challenges the country faced.

Federal Minister Ishaq Dar vows to revive economy

Talking to the media persons in Islamabad on Wednesday, Ishaq Dar said stabilizing local currency and reducing inflation and interest rates are priorities of the government. He said we do not believe in mere verbal claims rather history is testimony of our economic performance.

Ishaq Dar expressed satisfaction over the appreciation of rupee over the last two days saying this has reduced our loans.

The Federal Minister said the country is currently faced with worst economic crisis because of mismanagement of previous government of PTI. He said it was because of the efforts of former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail that the country averted default. He however said that the mess left behind the PTI government could not be cleared in six months.

Ishaq Dar regretted that the PTI government during its last days in office violated the international agreements to take political mileage.

As regards the case against him, Ishaq Dar said it is a fake. He said he has been a consistent tax payer over the last thirty four years and that he never delayed his tax returns. He said the previous government also cancelled his passport and it was the current coalition government which issued him a passport.

Speaking to the media on arrival at the Finance Ministry, Federal Minister Ishaq Dar said the speculators will not be allowed to play with the local currency. He rejected the impression that the PML(N) government in its tenure between 2013 and 2018 injected dollars in the market to keep the rupee overvalued. He said we rather took the foreign exchange reserves to record level of twenty three billion dollars. He said we believe in market economy, recalling it was the PML-N government which introduced market based exchange rate. Ishaq Dar said the country is facing difficult challenges but these will be tackled as was done in the past.

'Let's play with it': Imran Khan’s audio leak about US cypher

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his key aide became the center of attention on Wednesday after audio recordings purportedly of his conversation surfaced on social media.

In the alleged audio conversation, Imran Khan and his principal secretary Azam Khan could be heard discussing the US cipher, which the PTI chief claimed led to the ouster of the previous government.

In the around one and half-minute-long audio clip, a voice said to be that of PTI chief, can be heard saying “We just have to play with it, by hiding the date and without naming US”.

The other man, who is believed to be then principal secretary Azam Khan, stressed holding a meeting on the issue. Azam Khan then advised Imran Khan to craft a new dimension to the party’s narrative about foreign hands toppling the government.

The former principal secretary to PM also advised defiant politician to talk to the then Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and the foreign secretary on the matter.

The ousted premier then exchanged views with Azam Khan to chalk out the narrative for the masses as well as the world leaders.

Former Information Minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhary responded to the matter, saying the alleged audio leaks reveal an attempt to hide the US cipher from then Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The development comes days after purported leaked audio clips of government officials including PM Shehbaz Sharif, his cabinet members and Maryam Nawaz.

Earlier, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry claimed that conversations of PM have been put up for sale on the dark web, however, the recent leak revealed that the bugging process started before anyone was aware of it.

US defends arms sales to Pakistan following criticism from India

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday defended military sales to Pakistan after withering criticism from growing US partner India, which considers itself the target of Islamabad’s F-16 planes.

Blinken met in the US capital with India’s foreign minister a day after separate talks with his counterpart from Pakistan.

The top US diplomat defended a $450 million F-16 deal for Pakistan approved earlier in September, saying the package was for the maintenance of Pakistan’s existing fleet.

“These are not new planes, new systems, new weapons. It’s sustaining what they have,” Blinken told a news conference with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

“Pakistan’s program bolsters its capability to deal with terrorist threats emanating from Pakistan or from the region. It’s in no one’s interests that those threats be able to go forward with impunity,” Blinken said.

Jaishankar did not criticize Blinken in public. But on Sunday, speaking at a reception for the Indian community in the United States, Jaishankar said of the US position, “You’re not fooling anybody.”

 

Ishaq Dar takes oath as finance minister

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator Ishaq Dar has taken oath as the finance minister of Pakistan.

President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath of the office of federal finance minister to Dar.

The oath-taking ceremony, which took place in the President House, was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers and others.

His appointment as the finance minister came just two days after his return to Pakistan.

Ishaq Dar takes oath as senator after five years of self-exile

PML-N leader Ishaq Dar on Tuesday took oath as a senator during a swearing-in ceremony at the Senate after living five years in self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom.

Dar had been successfully elected to the Senate from Punjab but had been out of the country since October 2017.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani administered the oath amid the ruckus created by the Opposition. PTI members tore the copies of the agenda of the meeting to register their protest and also surrounded the dais.

The Senate chairman directed all members to maintain the decorum of the Upper House as Dar continued to receive felicitations from members of the coalition parties.

The politician, who touched down in Pakistan with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday night, will swear in as the federal finance minister tomorrow (September 28) at 10am.

President Arif Alvi will administer oath to Dar at Aiwan-e-Sadar. All arrangements for the oath-taking ceremony will be completed by tomorrow morning.

“I have returned to my country by the grace of God. I will try my best to pull Pakistan out of the [economic] maelstrom it is surrounded with,” Dar had said.

He shared that PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and the PM have handed over the responsibility of the finance ministry to him.

“We pulled Pakistan out of an economic maelstrom back in 1998 and 2013,” the incoming finance minister said.

Dar has returned to “facilitate” the government in its efforts to resurrect the cash-strapped economy by taking over the key portfolio of the finance ministry.

Miftah Ismail stepped down as the finance minister in line with the party's decision ahead of Dar's arrival

The decision was made during a meeting of PML-N leaders in London, including Nawaz Sharif, PM Shehbaz, and others. During the session, several issues related to the country were discussed in detail.

According to a PML-N spokesperson, during the meeting, Miftah handed over his resignation to Nawaz and thanked him for giving him a chance to lead the ministry.

Miftah also said that over the last four months, he performed to the best of his abilities and remained loyal to his party as well as the country.

However, he will continue to remain part of the government.

Journalist Ayaz Amir discharged from Sarah murder case

A local court in Islamabad discharged on Tuesday senior journalist Ayaz Amir from the murder case of his daughter-in-law Sarah Inam.

As per media reports, Shahnawaz, Ayaz Amir's son, allegedly killed his wife Sarah at home after a row over a "family issue" on September 23.

He was detained by the police from a farmhouse in Islamabad's Chak Shahzad area for being a suspect in his wife's murder and later confessed to killing her, saying he "thought" his spouse was having an affair. The couple was married for just three months.

On Saturday, a trial court approved the arrest warrants of Ayaz Amir and his former wife Sameena Shah, as the two were nominated as suspects by Sarah's family. Amir was arrested while his former wife later acquired pre-arrest bail.

In the police report registered following the murder, an additional clause of Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code was added at the request of Sarah's uncles Colonel (retd) Ikram and Zia-ur-Rahim who have blamed Ayaz Amir and his former wife for their niece's murder.

PKR makes sharp recovery against dollar

The Pakistani rupee gained further ground as the US dollar continued its declining trend for the third consecutive session on Tuesday.

The dollar lost Rs3.20 against the rupee on Tuesday and was trading at Rs234 in the interbank market during intraday trade as of 10:30am, after the local unit suffered consecutive losses during several sessions in the last trading week.

The dollar has so far shed Rs5.15 in the interbank market, only two days into the trade week.

The local currency on Friday, the last trading day of the outgoing week finally broke its losing streak against the dollar after continuously depreciating for 15 consecutive sessions.

The rupee came close to reaching a record low of 240 against the dollar but was unable to do so after several positive cues despite deadly floods devastating Pakistan's economy.

 

Unidentified men killed three sons of famous doctor in Quetta

In a tragic incident, unidentified men opened fire at the vehicle of a famous doctor and killed his three sons near the Railway Society area at the Joint Road in Quetta.

According to the police, the medical practitioner identified as Dr. Nasir Achakzai, along with his family, was returning to his house after attending a marriage ceremony.

When they were about to reach home, the culprits opened fire on their vehicle owing to which the doctor’s three sons—20-year-old Zaryan, 18-year-old Sadran, and another eight-year-old son—died on the spot.

The suspects managed to flee the scene after the incident.

Upon getting information, a heavy contingent of police reached the spot and shifted the deceased to Civil Hospital, Quetta. Police have also registered a case, while a search operation is underway.

In the meantime, Balochistan Inspector General (IG) Abdul Khaliq Sheikh has taken notice of the incident and sought an immediate report from concerned authorities.

Colombia, Venezuela reopen border after seven years

Colombia and Venezuela have reopened cargo transport at a major border crossing, potentially enabling billions of dollars in trade after years of icy bilateral relations and heavily restricted economic ties.

According to international media, the reopening which will allow goods like coal, toilet paper and fruit to move through crossings between the Colombian city of Cucuta and the Venezuelan state of Tachira was a key campaign promise of Colombia's new leftist President Gustavo Petro.

Petro crossed the Simon Bolivar bridge on foot on Monday, standing on the Venezuelan side with his ambassador to Caracas Armando Benedetti, Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia Felix Plasencia, Venezuela's transport minister and other officials as they listened to military bands play each other's national anthems.

"I want the first people who benefit to be those who live on either side of the border, those who risked (illegal crossings)...gangs of all kinds, multicriminals who could kill them, who could rape them," said Petro in later remarks, referring to dozens of irregular crossings controlled by crime gangs and home to smuggling and drug trafficking.

"The result should be a qualitative jump in human rights all along the Colombian-Venezuelan border," he said.

Petro told journalists there was no set date for his first meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

News Hour with Batool Rajput | 22 September 2022 | SUCH News

Aaj Ka Such with Nadem Hussain | 22 September 2022 | SUCH News

Imran Khan demands PM Shehbaz’s resign over audio leaks

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should resign over the audio leaks.

He warned that more leaks were coming, which would prove collusion between the government and Election Commission to disqualify him.

Addressing a ceremony at GC College in Lahore on Monday afternoon, he said that the audio leaks showed how the prime minister was crafting a means to circumvent the ban on trade with India, which his administration had imposed to import machinery from India for Maryam’s son-in-law.

Moreover, he said that the ruling government was planning to set up a grid station for a housing society by Maryam’s son-in-law and use taxpayer money to pay for the Rs700 million station.

Gunman Kills Nine in School Shooting in Russia

At least nine people have been killed, including five children, in a shooting at a school in central Russia, investigators have said.

According to international media, the motive for Monday's shooting in Izhevsk, capital of the Udmurtia region about 970 kilometres (600 miles) east of Moscow, was unclear. Officials said the attacker "committed suicide".

Russia's Investigative Committee said on Telegram the attacker had killed nine people before committing suicide. The victims included five children, two teachers and two security guards, it said.

Governor of Udmurtia Alexander Brechalov said in a video statement that the still unidentified gunman shot himself.

The Udmurtia branch of the interior ministry said the body of the gunman was discovered by police at the scene.

The school educated children between grades 1 and 11. It has been evacuated and area around it has been fenced off, the governor said.

As per media reports, Russia has seen several school shootings in recent years.

In May 2021, a teenage gunman killed seven children and two adults in the city of Kazan. In April 2022, an armed man killed two children and a teacher at a kindergarten in the central Ulyanovsk region before committing suicide.

President, PM express grief over martyrdom of Army personnel in helicopter crash

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed deep grief over the martyrdom of six Army officials, including two majors, in a helicopter crash.

President Dr Arif Alvi paid tribute to the deceased for their service and prayed for higher ranks for all departed souls.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of six army officials, saying the entire nation was grieved over the loss of lives of the Army personnel.

The premier prayed for the departed souls to rest in peace and for the grant of patience to the bereaved families.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo too expressed sorrow over the crash. In his condolence statement, Mr Bizenjo said the entire nation pays rich tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during performing duties.

Earlier in the day, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said all six personnel on board embraced martyrdom after a helicopter crashed near Khost in Harnai, Balochistan.

The martyred officers were identified as Major Khurram Shahzad (pilot), Major Muhammad Muneeb Afzal (pilot), Subedar Abdul Wahid, Sepoy Muhamad Imran, Naik Jalil, and Sepoy Shoaib.

Bilawal lauds US assistance for flood victims of Pakistan

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has met with US Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Dilawar Syed in Washington and discussed trade relations.

Both the leaders discussed the flood situation in Pakistan and also exchanged views on promoting Pak-US trade relations.

On this occasion, Foreign Minister Bilawal appreciated the assistance provided by America for Pakistan flood affectees.

The foreign minister also met with corporate leaders, prominent business personalities, and other segments of the society at the Pakistan House in Washington.

During his visit, the foreign minister will meet with members of Congress, senators, leading American think tanks, and American media organizations during the visit.

Earlier, FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reached Washington on a four-day visit on Sunday night.

Bilawal Bhutto is visiting Washington after attending the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

PKR recovers against dollar in interbank

Pakistani rupee continued to stabilize for the second consecutive working day, as it made fresh recovery against the US dollar in the inter-bank market on Monday.

According to details, the local currency appreciated by Rs2.15 against the greenback and was being traded around Rs237.5. The rupee had closed at Rs239.65 on Friday, according to Pakistan’s central bank data.

With the latest day-to-day gain, the rupee has cumulatively recovered Rs2.22 in the past two working days.

The bull has also returned to the Pakistan Stock Exchange as benchmark KSE-100 index gained 335 points and was being traded around 40,900 points.

PM House security questioned as another purported audio clip featuring govt officials surfaces

In a shocking incident, an audio clip purportedly of a meeting at PM House featuring several government officials has leaked online, it emerged Sunday, calling into question the security of PM House.

A day earlier, a leaked audio had gone viral on social media — allegedly featuring Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — containing a discussion regarding PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz asking for a power plant from India to be imported for her son-in-law.

This second leaked audio that has gone viral on social media — allegedly featuring PM Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and others — contains a discussion regarding PTI’s resignations.

In it, PML-N leaders can allegedly be heard giving their opinions over PTI’s resignations. They are also talking about London's permission to accept the resignations.

The leaked audio clip has rung alarm bells and raised serious questions about the security of PM House.

It is also being said that there are secret recording systems installed at PM House which even government representatives are unaware of.

However, PML-N members and federal ministers are reluctant to speak on the matter.

Moscow pledges ‘full protection’ to any areas annexed by Russia

Russia has sought to defend its seven-month old war at the United Nations, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying that regions of Ukraine where widely-derided referendums are being held would be under Russia’s “full protection” if annexed by Moscow.

The referendums in four eastern Ukrainian regions, aimed at annexing territory Russia has taken by force since its invasion in February, entered their third day on Sunday and the Russian parliament could move to formalise the annexation within days.

Ukraine and its Western allies have dismissed the referendums as a sham designed to justify an escalation of the war and a mobilisation drive by Moscow after recent battlefield losses.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered Russia’s first military mobilisation since World War Two, a move that triggered protests across the country and sent flocks of military-age men fleeing, causing tailbacks at borders and sold-out flights from the country.

Russia’s two most senior lawmakers on Sunday addressed a string of complaints about the mobilisation, ordering regional officials to get a handle on the situation and swiftly solve the “excesses” that have stoked public anger.

Addressing the UN General Assembly and the world’s media in New York on Saturday, Lavrov attempted to justify Russia’s invasion of its neighbour, repeating Moscow’s false claims that the elected government in Kyiv was illegitimately installed and filled with neo-Nazis.

He cast opposition to what Russia calls a “special operation” as limited to the United States and countries under its sway.

Nearly three-quarters of states in the assembly voted to reprimand Russia and demand it withdraw its troops.

In a news conference following his speech Lavrov said the regions where votes are underway would be under Moscow’s “full protection” if they are annexed by Russia.

Asked if Russia would have grounds for using nuclear weapons to defend the annexed regions, Lavrov said Russian territory, including territory “further enshrined” in Russia’s constitution in the future, “is under the full protection of the state”.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Russia’s mentions of the possible use of nuclear weapons were “absolutely unacceptable” and Kyiv would not give into them.

Looming annexation

The Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, may debate bills incorporating the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia on Thursday, the state-run TASS news agency said on Saturday, citing an unnamed source.

The Interfax agency quoted a source saying the upper house could consider the bill the same day, and RIA Novosti, also citing an unnamed source, said Putin could be preparing to make a formal address to an extraordinary joint session of both houses on Friday.

The votes on becoming part of Russia were hastily organised after Ukraine recaptured large swathes of the northeast in a counter-offensive this month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the votes would be “unequivocally condemned” by the world. Russia says the referendums offer an opportunity for people in those regions to express their view.

Ukraine and Russia traded accusations on Sunday of attacks on civilians, with Ukraine’s military saying that Russian forces had launched dozens of missile attacks and air strikes on military and civilian targets in the past 24 hours.

Russia also used drones to attack the centre of the southern city of Odesa, Ukraine’s military said. No casualties were reported.

Russia denies deliberately attacking civilians. Its RIA state news agency reported that Ukrainian forces bombed a hotel in the city of Kherson, killing two people.

Russian forces have occupied the southern city since the early days of the invasion on Feb. 24.

There was no immediate response from Ukraine.

Reuters could not verify either side’s claims.

Putin’s mobilisation drive has stirred unrest in Russia. More than 2,000 people have been detained across the country for protesting against the draft, including 798 people in 33 towns on Saturday, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info.

When asked on Saturday why so many Russians were leaving the country, Lavrov pointed to the right of freedom of movement.

Court hands over Ayaz Amir to police on physical remand

An Islamabad court on Sunday granted one day’s physical remand of senior journalist Ayaz Amir who was arrested after his daughter-in-law was found murdered in her home on Friday.

The 37-year-old victim identified as Sara Bibi is suspected of having been murdered by her husband Shahnawaz – Ayaz Amir’s son.

According to media reports, Sara and Shahnawaz had an altercation over a domestic issue on Thursday night which led to her death as the accused allegedly had hit her in the head with an iron dumbbell.

After killing his wife, sources revealed, the accused allegedly put her body in a bathtub. The police had arrested the accused and taken him to Shahzad Town Police Station for further investigation.

Sources furthered that Shahzad Town Police had later named Ayaz Amir in the case. They had said that in the light of the interrogation of Shahnawaz, the police had obtained the arrest warrant of Ayaz Amir from the area magistrate on Saturday.

As the senior journalist was produced before the area magistrate Zahid Termizi today, he pleaded that he was the one who had informed the police of the murder.

“I was the one who gave the farmhouse address to the station house officer (SHO),” Amir added.

His counsel, Nasir Asghar also added that Amir was “not named in the case” and that “no evidence had been found against” his client.

However, the police requested the court for a four-day physical remand of the accused arguing that “the accused Ayaz Amir should be investigated”.

“It is a very high-profile case,” the police added, “a Canadian-born Pakistani woman has been murdered”.

Granting the police the request the court ordered one day’s physical remand and handed the accused over to the officials.

Pak Army, FC continuing relief activities for flood affectees

Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps are engaged in rehabilitation and relief activities for the flood victims in respective areas of Balochistan.

In the flood-affected areas, Pakistan Army and FC Jawans are working day and night in the rehabilitation and relief activities of the victims along with the civil administration.

According to press release, about fourteen relief camps are working in the flood affected areas of Kohlu, Sibi, Dera Murad Jamali, Jafarabad, Naseerabad, Sahabatpur and Jhal Magsi where cooked food and significant items were provided to 12,344 flood victims along with other facilities.

Food packs were also distributed among flood affectees.

Pakistan reports 47 COVID-19 cases, no deaths in 24 hours

Pakistan has reported no deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of confirmed positive cases has surged to 1,572,316. The nationwide tally of fatalities has remained at 30,612 on Sunday.

According to the latest figures by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 47 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 across the country in the past 24 hours.

Pakistan has conducted 12,369 tests in the past 24 hours while the COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 0.38 percent.

Meanwhile, 73 patients were in critical condition.

Lightning, rains kill at least 36 in India

Hazardous weather has killed at least 36 people in northern India over the past 24 hours.

According to international media, across the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, 24 people died after their homes collapsed during unrelenting rains.
Officials said 39 people in the state have died from lightning in the last five days, prompting the state government to issue new guidelines for how people can protect themselves during a thunderstorm.

Lightning strikes are common during India’s monsoon season, which runs from June to September.

A 1-degree-Celsius (1.8-degree-Fahrenheit) rise in temperature increases lightning by 12 times. Thunderbolts contain as much as a billion volts of electricity and can cause immense damage to buildings when they hit.

There has been a 34-percent rise in lightning strikes across India over the past year, which has caused deaths to increase.

About 2,500 people die in lightning strikes around India each year, according to government figures, compared with just 45 in the United States.

Last year, a herd of 18 wild Asiatic elephants was found dead in India’s northeastern state of Assam, possibly because of a huge lightning strike.

Evidence suggests lightning strikes are also becoming more common in urban areas a particular concern in India, where the city population is forecast to rise dramatically in the coming years.

North Korea fires ballistic missile ahead of US-S Korea drills

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile towards its eastern seas, ahead of planned military drills by the United States and South Korea.

According to international media, the South’s military said Sunday’s weapon test involved a single, short-range ballistic missile fired from near the Taechon area of North Pyongyan Province just before 7am (22:00 GMT on Saturday)

It did not immediately release further specifics about the weapon, including what type of missile it was or how far it flew.

Japanese Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Japan estimated it reached maximum altitude at 50 kilometers (31 miles) and may have flown on an irregular trajectory.

Hamada said it fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone and there were no reports of problems with shipping or air traffic.

Many of the short-range missiles tested by North Korea in recent years have been designed to evade missile defences by maneuvering during flight and flying on a lower, “depressed” trajectory, experts have said.

After North Korea conducted an unprecedented number of missile tests earlier this year, including its intercontinental ballistic missiles for the first time since 2017, the US and South Korea said they would boost joint drills and military displays of power to deter Pyongyang.

Ishaq Dar take a charge on Tuesday as finance minister, PM Shehbaz, Nawaz decide

 PML-N leader Ishaq Dar will take charge as the finance minister on Tuesday and the current Finance Minister Miftah Ismail will continue to remain part of the government, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N decided during an important meeting here on Saturday.

PM Shehbaz is set to leave for Pakistan on Sunday and it’s not clear yet whether Dar will fly with the premier or later.

The source said that Nawaz had not been happy with the economic policies of Miftah and had called for a change in the direction of economic policies.

Nawaz, according to the source, is worried that the rise in prices of commodities had directly affected ordinary people which has impacted the support base of PML-N.

Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that Dar will return to Pakistan next week.

Dar, himself, had told media in an interview that he will take oath as a Senator immediately after his return. The former finance minister said that he would perform whatever duty is assigned to him by Nawaz and Shehbaz.

PM Shehbaz, along with Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb reached London after attending the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York a day earlier and is scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Sunday.

Other than the decision on Dar’s role in the government, the two leaders also discussed the ongoing situation in the country and measures taken by the sitting coalition government.

The strategy to deal with PTI Chief Imran Khan’s call for a long march, and ending PTI’s government in Punjab was also discussed. It was decided that Imran Khan’s long march will be dealt with by all legal means and no one will be allowed to create anarchy in the country, said the source privy to the meeting.

The meeting decided that the next general elections will be held on time and no pressure from the PTI will be tolerated.

Mohammad Hafeez performs Umrah with family

Former Pakistani skipper and allrounder Mohammad Hafeez has performed Umrah with his family.

In a social media post, Hafeez nicknamed 'the professor', shared pictures with his family at Islam’s holiest site.

“Alham du Lillah blessed to perform Umrah with family. May Allah accept it Aameen. May Allah bless all Muslims to visit once in life to the most beautiful & blessed place on earth,” he wrote.

While performing the Islamic pilgrimage, Hafeez and his son can be seen wearing Ahram, while his daughters donned Hijab.

Hafeez announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this year, closing the chapter on an 18-year-long career.

The star batter however will play domestic cricket for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022.

Floods claim 12 more lives in Balochistan

Balochistan’s death toll amid floods reached 322 with 12 more reported dead, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported.

According to the PDMA, over 500,000 cattle have been reported dead, and 185,000 homes have been damaged amid the calamity. 65,000 homes were completely demolished while 120,000 were partially damaged, the PDMA told.

103 dams have also been damaged due to heavy rainfall and flooding in the province while crops on over 900,000 acres of land were also damaged. 2,198 km of roads and 22 bridges have also been damaged amid the calamity.

The spokesperson of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that the death toll in Balochistan floods reached 322.

Saqlain downplays Pakistan defeat in 3rd T20I

The head coach of the Pakistan cricket team, Saqlain Mushtaq, stressed the need for every Pakistani to buck up as "Winning and losing is part of the game."

"It is the system of nature that we win sometimes and lose also," said the head coach, addressing a press conference after the third T20I of the seven-match series.

In response to a query about the middle order, he said, "This is the middle order of the Pakistani team. It is ours and we have to support it."

Saqlain said, "By talking about the middle order so frequently, you are influencing our minds. By frequently referring to the middle order, you are undermining the players' confidence in this manner." He underscored the need for every Pakistani to repose trust in the skipper, coach and players.

The head coach said Pakistan triumphed yesterday, and they (England) made it today, so it shows the team will win whose plans work.

He said the Pakistani team consists of the best available players. "We should have faith in our players. We will have to repose this confidence in them," he said. However, there are some concerns, and efforts are being made to do away with them, he said.

Saqlain said the Pakistan bowling appeared to be lacking a lot in the third match of the England series. "Our bowlers made a lot of mistakes. Our plans were not good, either," he said.

Malaysian PM Sabri laments lack of UN action on Myanmar crisis

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has expressed his disappointment with the United Nations Security Council over its response to the continuing political crisis in Myanmar.

Ismail told the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday that the Security Council had not taken “any serious action” in dealing with the situation in Myanmar and described the response as “very saddening”.

“Some even see the Security Council as having washed its hands of [Myanmar] and handing the matter over to ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations],” he said.

Myanmar’s military seized power in February 2021 from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, plunging the country into what some UN experts have described as a nascent civil war that has killed thousands.

The prime minister also said that ASEAN’s “Five-Point Consensus” – which had called for an immediate end to violence, the appointment of a special envoy and discussions involving all stakeholders – needed to be given “a new lease of life”.

“Malaysia is disappointed that there is no meaningful progress in the implementation of the ASEAN Five Point Consensus especially by the Myanmar junta. In its current form, the ASEAN Five Point Consensus cannot continue any longer,” he said.

Kaira appeals countrymen to help flood victims

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira appealed the countrymen to come forward and help the flood-stricken people across the country.

He was addressing a function in Islamabad tonight.

The Advisor said it is a taste case for the whole nation. Kaira said Pakistani nation has a golden history and it has been supporting their brothers and sisters during various natural calamities.

PM Shehbaz meets US President in New York

US President Joe Biden has expressed the commitment to continue helping Islamabad in the wake of difficult humanitarian situation due to devastating floods in Pakistan.

He expressed this resolve during his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in New York on Friday.

The meeting was held at the reception of world leaders participating in 77th session of UNGA hosted by Joe Biden.

The Prime Minister thanked the US President for his message to the international community to the flood affected people and to support Pakistan. He also thanked the people and the government of the United States for sending head of USAID to visit Pakistan and providing relief assistance.

President Biden expressed grief with the affected families over loss of human lives and the devastation caused by floods in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister thanked the US President for expressing grief and sympathy with the flood-affected people of Pakistan.

Court suspends Ishaq Dar's arresting warrant

An accountability court on Friday suspended the arrest warrant against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar and dismissed orders for arrest upon his arrival in Pakistan.

During his arguments, Misbah apprised the court of the reasons behind the issuance of the arrest warrant and pleaded that it be cancelled. To this, the judge asked the lawyer if Dar was ill or if there were other problems.

The lawyer assured the court that the PML-N leader will appear before the court straight after landing at the airport.

The judge then questioned where the prosecutor was, to which the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor informed the court that Prosecutor Afzal Qureshi had gone to perform Umrah.

Subsequently, the accountability court suspended Dar's perpetual warrant till October 7 and adjourned the hearing.

The court, while giving an opportunity to Ishaq Dar to surrender, also ordered that the PML-N leader not be arrested when he lands in Pakistan.

Judge Bashir further remarked that Dar should return to Pakistan and look into the cancellation of the warrant against him.

PML-N leader Ishaq Dar, who lives in London in self-exile, said on Wednesday that his doctor has given him "conditional permission" to return to Pakistan and expressed his willingness to appear in court for hearings within 15 days.

The former minister's statement came hours after he withdrew his petition from the Supreme Court that had sought suspension of the accountability court’s order decision to declare him an absconder.

Explaining the rationale behind his decision to withdraw the plea, Dar had said that his petition had maintained that he wanted to come to Pakistan within 15 days.

"Therefore, the honourable accountability court should suspend their arrest warrant and the petitioner should be allowed a fair trial in this case," Dar had said.

Azerbaijan broke ceasefire pact: Armenia claims

Armenia's defence ministry on Friday accused Azerbaijan's armed forces of opening fire on Armenian positions, in violation of a ceasefire agreement, the ministry said in a post on social media.

"On September 23, at 0740 (0340 GMT), units of the Azerbaijani armed forces again violated the ceasefire regime by firing from different positions against Armenian combat positions located in the eastern area of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border," the ministry said in a post on Facebook on Friday.

Armenia said it had opened retaliatory fire and reported no losses among its service personnel.

There was no immediate comment from Azerbaijan on the claims. Earlier this week Baku accused Armenia of staging "provocations" along the shared border by firing mortars and grenades at its forces.

Fighting between the two sides erupted earlier this month in clashes that left almost 200 soldiers dead - the bloodiest confrontation since a six-week war between the two ex-Soviet countries in 2020.

The fighting is linked to decades-old hostilities over control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but until 2020 largely controlled by the majority ethnic Armenian population.

Armenia said Azerbaijan attacked its territory and seized settlements inside its borders, beyond the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan said it as responding to "provocations" from the Armenian side.

Russia is a military ally of Armenia though also tries to maintain friendly relations with Azerbaijan and has resisted Yerevan's calls to trigger a mutual self-defence clause. Baku is backed militarily, financially and politically by Turkey.

Crop losses Sindh touches Rs364 Punjab’s at Rs39b

The country’s economy suffered a loss of around Rs4.81 trillion because of the recent spell of torrential rains and the ensuing floods, according to the government’s preliminary estimates.

Crops including fruits and vegetables were most affected because of the floods and rains, said officials of the national food security ministry.

The floods devastated crops worth Rs364 billion in Sindh, Rs39 billion in Punjab, Rs61 billion in Balochistan and Rs16 billion in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The province that suffered the most because of the floods was Sindh, where crops and commodities worth Rs364 billion were destroyed.

Similarly, Punjab suffered a loss of Rs39.89 billion in terms of farm products.

According to the preliminary estimates, cotton, rice, maize, pulses, potatoes, tomatoes, sugarcane, wheat, chillies, tobacco, oil seeds, millets and garlic were among the vegetables damaged because of the floods.

The fruits ravaged by the deluges included apples, grapes, pomegranates and melons.

The deluges washed away cotton worth Rs239.41 billion and rice valued at Rs70.89 billion countrywide.

Similarly, onions costing Rs31.91 billion and tomatoes worth Rs13.59 billion were damaged by the floods.

According to the preliminary figures, the floods destroyed dates valued at Rs23.78 billion and pomegranates costing Rs12.56 billion.

Sugarcane worth Rs20.56 billion and chilli crop costing Rs15.45 billion were lost because of the floods.

In terms of pulses, moong worth Rs1.1 billion, mash valued at around Rs750 million, and yellow gram costing over Rs430 million were washed away.

Garlic worth Rs340 million was destroyed because of the deluges.

Experts claim that majority of crops in Sindh have been wiped out and the province might need to brace for a famine-like situation in the coming months. Prices of food items have also been jacked up due to shortages, further exacerbating inflation. Most significant is perhaps the sheer destruction of transport infrastructure, essential for any country or province to function. In the aftermath of the floods, officials will require significant funds for redevelopment.

Human-caused climate change likely contributed to the deadly floods that submerged parts of the country in recent weeks.

An international team of climate scientists at the World Weather Attribution group said rainfall in the worst-hit regions had increased as much as 75% in recent decades and concluded that manmade activity likely boosted record levels of August precipitation in Sindh and Balochistan.

To determine what role global heating played in the downpours, the scientists analysed weather data and computer simulations of today's climate to determine the likelihood of such an event occurring at the roughly 1.2 degrees Celsius of warming that human activity has caused since the industrial era.

They then compared that likelihood to data and simulations of conditions in the climate of the past – that is, 1.2C cooler than currently.

They found that climate change likely increased the five-day total rainfall for Sindh and Balochistan by up to 50%.