Finance Minister, IMF review Mission discuss economic & fiscal policies and reforms agenda

The review Mission of International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by its Chief, Nathan Porter, called on Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The meeting discussed and reviewed the economic and fiscal policies and reforms agenda to accomplish the 9th review under the Extended Fund Facility.

The Finance Minister briefed the Mission on fiscal and economic reforms and measures being taken by the government in different sectors including bridging the fiscal gap, exchange rate stability and in energy sector for the betterment of the economy.

He said reforms are being introduced in power sector and a high level committee has been formed for devising modalities to offset the menace of circular debt in gas sector.

Expressing the government's resolve to complete the current IMF program, Ishaq Dar said Pakistan is committed to work with IMF for reaching an agreement to complete the 9th review under Extended Fund Facility.

On the occasion, the IMF Mission Chief expressed the confidence that Pakistan will meet the IMF requirements for the completion of 9th review.

He hoped that Pakistan would continue towards its progress on reforms in various sectors and will complete the IMF Program effectively and in time.

He added that IMF and Pakistan will be working together on fiscal reforms.

The IMF mission is in Pakistan to deliberate on policies aimed at restoring domestic and external sustainability, strengthening fiscal position and power sector reforms.

Bangladesh secures $4.7bn from IMF as other South Asian countries see delays

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved loans of $4.7 billion to Bangladesh for disbursal starting immediately, making it the first to secure such funds out of three South Asian countries that applied last year amid economic trouble.

The loans are a win for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ahead of a general election early next year and will help the country, which has seen a sharp widening of its current account deficit, depreciation of the taka currency and a decline in its foreign exchange reserves.

Bangladesh will get about $3.3bn under the IMF’s extended credit facility and related arrangements, with an immediate disbursement of about $476 million. The IMF executive board also approved about $1.4bn under its newly created Resilience and Sustainability Facility for climate investments for Bangladesh, the first Asian country to access it.

The IMF said the loans will “protect macroeconomic stability and rebuild buffers, while helping to advance the authorities’ reform agenda”.

The agenda includes creating fiscal space to enable greater social and developmental spending, strengthening Bangladesh’s financial sector, boosting fiscal and governance reforms and building climate resilience.

“Since independence, Bangladesh has made steady progress in reducing poverty and significant improvements in living standards,” Antoinette M. Sayeh, the IMF’s deputy managing director, said in a statement.

“However, the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent Russia’s war in Ukraine interrupted this long period of robust economic performance,” Sayeh added.

“Multiple shocks have made macroeconomic management challenging in Bangladesh.”

The country last year also sought $2bn from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank amid efforts to bolster its foreign exchange reserves.

Bangladesh’s regional counterparts, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, are doing much worse economically but have not been able to get final approval for IMF loans.

Bangladesh’s current account deficit hit a record $18.7bn in the last financial year, which ended on June 30, as exports of garments failed to offset a surge in energy costs. The Bangladesh central bank expects the deficit to fall to about $6.8bn at the end of the current fiscal year.

The government has also raised fuel and energy prices in recent months as it approached the IMF. It announced a five per cent increase in retail power prices from Wednesday, the second such rise this month.

Shaheen Shah Afridi is designing the Lahore Qalandars’ new kits

Did you know cricketer Shaheen Shah Afridi had an artistic side to him? The pace bowler is exercising his creative powers to design Lahore Qalandars’ new kit.

CEO of Lahore Qalandars Atif Rana shared the news and said, “Shaheen Shah Afridi is our leader and our captain. He is designing Lahore Qalandar’s new kit and it is the best. The way he takes out wickets, his kit design will also blow everyone’s minds. We hope all the fans will really like the new design.”

The PSL team also teased the design donned by Shaheen himself.

They have been dropping Easter eggs all this time.

It looks like 2023 is a big year for Shaheen, not only is he unleashing the designer within for the PSL tournament next month, he is also reportedly tying the knot with Shahid Afridi’s daughter Ansha in a couple of days. A source close to the Afridi family confirmed that their nikah ceremony will be held in Karachi on Feb 3.

Maybe the bowler is taking notes from his father-in-law to be who explored new horizons and launched a skincare line in 2021. His brand Ooh Lala offers premium products for both men and women.

The Qalandars bagged the trophy last year for the second time in PSL history. Which team do you think is going to win it this year?

Karachi consumers to get big power tariff relief

Following the petrol bomb, people can get some relief from electricity bills as National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Tuesday reduced the cost of electricity per unit by Rs10.80 for K-Electric’s consumers and Rs2.31 for other consumers.

The NEPRA has approved a reduction in electricity price by Rs10.80 per unit for the month of December, in the form of a monthly fuel adjustment.

The decision was taken following an open hearing which was presided over by Chairman of Nepra, Tauseef Hasan Farooqi where the complainants were also present.

During the hearing, Nepra member Rafiq Shaikh expressed his disappointment with the failure to produce cheap electricity.

Additionally, consumers complained about ongoing load shedding in Karachi, which Nepra officials expressed indignation about.

The reduction in electricity price was approved after reviewing the data on power generation and transmission.

Nepra has also approved the reduction in the cost of electricity per unit by Rs2.31 under monthly fuel adjustment for other consumers.

Under the chairmanship of Nepra Chairman Tauseef Hasan Farooqui, a hearing was held on the Central Power Purchasing Agency’s (CPPA) request to reduce the price of electricity by Rs2.20 per unit on account of monthly fuel adjustment.

The CCPA maintained in the petition that 8.96 billion units of electricity were produced in December.

The reference cost for December was fixed at Rs9.31 per unit but the total cost turned out to be Rs7.11 per unit.

Therefore, CCPA requested the power regulator to cut power tariff by Rs 2.20 per unit under monthly fuel adjustment.

However, Nepra approved the reduction of electricity by Rs 2.31 per unit against request of Rs2.20 citing losses on the part of CCPA.

The consumers will get a relief of Rs18.70 billion in their January bills.

Burkina Faso: 28 soldiers, civilians killed in rebel attacks

At least 28 people, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed in two attacks by armed assailants in Burkina Faso, a regional governor and the army said in separate statements.

According to international medi reports, the army said on Monday that a combat unit in Falagountou, in the north of the country near its border with Niger, came under attack and that 10 soldiers, two fighters of the volunteer force and a civilian were killed.

The army said the bodies of 15 assailants were found after the attack.

In a separate statement on Monday, Jean Charles dit Yenapono Some, governor of the country’s Cascades region in the south near the border with Ivory Coast, said the bodies of 15 men, all civilians, had been found following an attack on Sunday.

The governor said armed men had stopped two transport vehicles carrying eight women and 16 men. The women and one man were freed, he said.

“This January 30, the corpses of the victims, showing signs of bullet impact, were found near Linguekoro village,” the governor said in the statement.

The latest killings come as Burkina Faso — and its neighbours in Mali and Niger — battle armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL who have occupied territory in the country’s arid and mainly rural north, executing hundreds of villagers and displacing nearly 2 million people. The fighters have blockaded towns and villages, worsening a food crisis.

 

ECP rules Chaudhry Shujaat to remain PML-Q president

The Election Commission of Pakistan ruled on Tuesday that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will remain president of the PML-Q.

The commission had reserved its decision regarding a decision by the party’s central working committee to remove Shujaat from the party leadership on August 18 of last year.

The decision said that the CWC’s ruling carried no legal basis and also declared the recently-held intra party election illegal.

The PML-Q had decided to replace Shujaat with his brother Wajahat as the party’s president at a meeting in Lahore. The party had also removed Tariq Bashir Cheema as the general secretary and appointed Kamil Ali Agha in his place.

Chaudhry Shujaat had challenged the party’s decisions in the election commission.

The move against Shujaat had come after a dispute over their alliance with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the Punjab Assembly. Pervaiz Elahi, who was then hoping to get elected as the province’s chief minister, and Shujaat had issued contradtictory directions to the party’s parliamentary members over who to vote for.

Although, the party had ultimately voted in line with Elahi’s decision after a court decision, the rift continued inside the ranks. The Shujaat and Elahi camps have been seen as increasingly distant, with former president Asaif Zardari even approaching Shujaat for help in no confidence votes in Punjab.

LHC issues notices to ECP, governor on PTI petition seeking Punjab election date

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman on a PTI petition seeking the announcement of a date for elections in the province.

The PTI had on Friday approached the LHC, seeking a direction to the Punjab governor to immediately announce the date of a general election in the province since the assembly had been dissolved.

The petition, filed through PTI General Secretary Asad Umar, stated that more than 10 days had passed since the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly but the respondent [Governor Rehman] had failed to fulfil his constitutional duty of announcing an election date.

At the outset of the hearing today, Justice Jawad Hassan noted that a petition had been received seeking direction to the governor for an announcement of polls in the province.

“The governor did not sign the notification for the dissolution of the assembly after which the legislature stood automatically dissolved. This means that elections should be held within 90 days,” he observed.

The judge asked the petitioner [PTI] to make ECP a respondent in the case. The PTI counsel abided by the court’s directives.

“Did you write to the governor for the announcement of the date for the election,” Justice Hassan asked the PTI lawyer.

The latter responded that the governor was supposed to fulfil his responsibility under the Constitution.

At that, the judge noted: “We are here for democracy and will strive for it.”

He further said the authority for announcing the election date had to be determined. “Have you filed a petition seeking a date for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election?” he asked.

In his response, Umar said that his party would approach the Peshawar High Court tomorrow for the matter.

For his part, Assistant Attorney General Nasir Ghumman informed the court that the federal government did not represent the governor [in the petition], as “it is a separate body.”

Here, the court expressed its displeasure at the official, asking “you have come to the court “ill-prepared”.

“Why is the behaviour of a government counsel so non-serious?” the judge questioned, observing that the matter pertained to the people of the province and not the PTI.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court issued notices to the respondents — ECP and Punjab governor — and adjourned the hearing till Feb 3.

Later, speaking to the media outside the court, Asad Umar said that today’s proceedings had ensured that elections [in the province] will be held within 90 days.

He claimed the country was divided into two parts at the moment. “One segment stands with Imran Khan and democracy while the other is hell-bent on creating anarchy in the country.”

The petition

The petition filed by the PTI argued that a plain reading of the relevant provisions of the Constitution shows that the elections have to be held within the stipulated period of 90 days from the date of the assembly’s dissolution.

It said that the respondent’s [ECP and Punjab governor] inaction to do the needful “is unlawful and unconstitutional as Article 105 (3)(1)(a) of the Constitution reads where an assembly is dissolved by the governor, he shall announce a date for the holding of the general election, not later than 90 days from such dissolution”.

The application contended that the governor was duty-bound to announce the election date so as to “further the constitutional command” to ensure the conduct of the polls in an honest, just and fair manner.

It argued that the governor’s failure to discharge his duty was “undermining and jeopardising the whole scheme of the Constitution regarding the conduct of the free and fair elections following the dissolution of an assembly”.

The petition further noted that the election date was also required immediately so that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) could organise and conduct the poll according to Article 218(3) of the Constitution and make arrangements necessary for a free and fair election.

The PTI’s petition said the entire province of Punjab was waiting for the date of the fresh election as people wanted to know when there will be a return to a representative government. However, it argued, the respondent’s failure was frustrating the campaign plans of the candidates and their voters as well.

It argued that the “governor is depriving the petitioner (PTI) of its fundamental right, guaranteed under Article 17 of the Constitution, to contest and participate in an election”.

“Unless the date of the election is announced, the exercise of this right will be frustrated,” the petition added.

It further submitted that the election date for the assembly could not be left open as it would not only be in violation of the Constitution and amounts to its subversion, but it would also be against the basic principles of democracy and contrary to the fundamental rights of the people of Pakistan.

The petition pleaded that the election date was to be announced by the respondent immediately, or if so deemed fit by an appropriate direction by the court to the president of Pakistan or the ECP, as the case may be.

Travel advisory issued for tourists heading to Murree

The local administration has advised tourists to take precautionary measures while travelling to Murree and other hilly areas in wake of a fresh snowfall spell.

Roads from Murree to Abbottabad have been closed as spells of intermittent snowfall and rain continued while tourists from across Pakistan have started visiting the hilly areas to enjoy nature.

Local administration is taking preemptive measures to avoid any untoward situation, that occurred last year in January when nearly two dozen tourists froze to death in their vehicles after being stuck on roads amid a heavy snowstorm.

Meanwhile, snow camps, and additional personnel of law enforcement were deployed in the mountain resort city to help tourists. Machinery for clearing snow was also in action.

Met Office forecast rain-wind, and thunderstorms in several parts of the country including the federal capital Islamabad, the Pothohar region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan during the next twelve hours. Isolated snowfall may occur in hill stations during the period.

Militant attacks kill over dozen in DRC

A wave of attacks on villages in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo attributed to Daesh-affiliated ADF militants have killed at least 15 people.

According to international media reports, the Sunday's killings come a week after a similar attack left at least 23 people dead.

"There were simultaneous attacks this Sunday between 4:00 and 5:00 am on three villages" said local official Dieudonne Malangai.

"In Manyala village we found seven bodies at Ofay, there were eight dead, including seven women," Malangai told reporters, and indicated that the final toll might be higher.

"These ADF rebels also attacked Bandibese village but ran into resistance from soldiers who intervened and so there were no civilian deaths," Malangai said after the raids on three villages in Ituri province bordering Rwanda. "We are tired of giving the death toll day after day," he added.

ADF fighters were also blamed for last week's raids in the neighbouring province of North Kivu cost at least 23 lives while in the same province at least 14 people were killed in a bomb blast at a pentecostal church.

In an attempt to stem the violence the government in May 2021 declared a state of alert in North Kivu and Ituri, replacing civil administrators with police and troops.

Asif Zardari serves legal notice to Imran Khan over assassination allegations

Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Monday sent a Rs10 billion legal notice to former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

In the notice, sent by Naek and Associates acting on behalf of their client Asif Ali Zardari, it was stated that Imran in a public address – which was widely reported across the world – had accused Zardari of “false, fabricated and scandalous remarks/statements as well as leveled baseless allegations of serious nature” that he had paid his corruption money to a terrorist organization being supported by powerful state agency facilitators to launch another fatal attack on him.

The notice read that the baseless accusations were of “malicious and defamatory nature” that tried to defame Zardari nationally as well as internationally. “Through your defamatory, libelous, scandalous remarks and allegations of serious nature you have tried to create a link between our client and terrorist organizations blindly disregarding the fact that our client and his party has remained the victim of terrorism.”

Further, it said that Zardari’s wife, former prime minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was also assassinated by terrorists.

The notice termed Imran’s statements as “made with malafide intentions and ulterior motives to injure, harm, defame and disparage the reputation and name of our client who has made struggle and sacrifices for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.”

The notice added that the serious allegations of paying terrorists and plotting his assassination were false, libelous, scandalous and without any proof and are vehemently denied.

“That through your above said defamatory actions against our client, you have committed utterly unjustified and inexcusable defamation just to malign our client’s reputation in Pakistan as well as in the world causing severe agony, mental stress and loss of reputation,” the notice read.

It directed Imran to render an unconditional apology to Zardari “on television, print and social media, within 14 (fourteen) days from the receipt of this notice.”

In his public address last Friday, former premier Imran Khan accused PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari of being a key player in hatching a new conspiracy for his assassination.

 

Two martyred, at least 70 injured in Peshawar mosque suicide blast

A powerful suicide blast inside a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines area on Monday martyred two policemen while more than 70 others were injured.

The explosion took place when worshippers had gathered in the mosque for the afternoon prayers.

A heavy contingent of police has rushed to the spot to cordon it off.

The explosion was powerful enough to shatter window panes of nearby buildings and the blast was heard for areas relatively far away as well.

Rescue workers and ambulances have rushed to the spot. They said they have shifted at least 70 people thus far to the nearby the Lady Reading Hospital and the Khyber Teaching Hospital.

The area is located in a highly secure area of Peshawar with Police Secretariat and PTCL Colony all located nearby.

To access the area, people have to cross several police check posts. With no commercial area located within the police lines, only people with authorized access can enter the area.

US dollar surges by Rs6.50 against PKR in interbank market

The Pakistani rupee continued to lose its value on Monday, trading at an all-time low of 270 against the dollar in the interbank market.

The local currency, which had closed at a record low of Rs262.6 on Friday, fell Rs6.5 to a dollar or 2.32% today, according to the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP).

The current spell of depreciation came after the coalition government ended its control on its price in order to woo the International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials to revive the $7 billion loan programme.

With the latest drop, the domestic currency has cumulatively slumped by nearly 14% or Rs36 in the three days, compared to Wednesday’s close of Rs230.89 to a dollar, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data.

In over two hours of today's trading session, the currency hit an intra-day low of Rs270 during the day, according to the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP).

Meanwhile, the association reported that the currency was changing hand with dollar at 272 in the open market.

 

Erdogan says Turkey may accept Finland in NATO, but block Sweden

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signalled that Ankara could accept Finland into NATO before taking any action on the membership of its Nordic neighbour Sweden.

According to international media reports, Erdogan was speaking just days after Ankara suspended NATO accession talks with the two countries after a protest in Stockholm in which a far-right politician burned a copy of the Quran.

“We may deliver Finland a different message [on their NATO application] and Sweden would be shocked when they see our message. But Finland should not make the same mistake Sweden did,” Erdogan said in a televised speech aired on Sunday.

Sweden and Finland applied last year to join NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, dropping their longstanding military nonalignment.

Every member of the 30-nation alliance needs to approve their membership, and Turkey and Hungary are the only countries yet to have done so. The Hungarian parliament is expected to approve the bids in February.

Erdogan’s main complaint has been with Sweden’s refusal to extradite dozens of people that Ankara has linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and a failed 2016 coup attempt.

On Sunday, Erdogan repeated his demand for Sweden to hand over some 120 alleged suspects.

“If you absolutely want to join NATO, you will return these terrorists to us,” Erdogan said.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has said his country wants to restart NATO dialogue with Turkey.

Late on Saturday, the Turkish foreign ministry issued a travel warning for European countries over anti-Turkish demonstrations and what it described as Islamophobia.

As part of that memorandum, Erdogan said Turkey had provided a list of 120 people it wants extradited from Sweden.

NA By-polls, In bid to pile up more pressure on govt, Imran Khan to run for 33 seats

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will contest for all 33 seats in the upcoming National Assembly by-elections set to take place on March 16, the party has announced — becoming the first person in the country's history to run for a sizeable number of seats.

In a press conference after the party's core committee meeting in Lahore on Sunday, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said: "Imran Khan will be PTI's candidate for all constituencies that [are up for grabs] and our [ex-]MNAs, who were earlier elected for those seats will be covering candidates."

The move will likely pile up pressure on the ruling coalition as if the PTI chief successfully wins a majority of the seats, it might dent the government's popularity and give the Khan-led party an edge in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections — expected to take place in the next three months.

The embattled government is under severe criticism from the masses as inflation is at a record high and there seems no respite in sight, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme also at a stall.

The NA seats had fallen vacant earlier this month when NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of PTI lawmakers and Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rashid.

The PTI resigned en masse in April last year after the ouster of Imran Khan as the prime minister, but only 11 resignations were accepted in July. Later, as the party tried to stage a comeback to the house, the speaker began accepting their resignations — and in a couple of days, he accepted 113 more, including the 33.

In October last year, the former prime minister also set a record when he won six NA seats for the PTI in a by-election that was seen as a direct contest between the former ruling party and the current ruling coalition of the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) parties, which also grabbed two seats.

"The PTI will remain on the political ground and seek the help of the masses. When the people got a chance in July last year, despite our opponents being in government, they ensured our mandate and [made] Imran Khan victorious," Qureshi said.

"The nation will give a clear message on March 16: the nation completely trusts in the leadership of Imran Khan and it stands with the PTI. The people will also voice their reservations against the group that's been imposed on us," he added.

 

Natanyahu promises 'swift' response to synagogue shooting

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Saturday a "strong, swift and precise" response to a deadly Palestinian shooting attack near a synagogue on Jerusalem's outskirts, as its military sent more troops into the occupied West Bank.

Seven people were killed in Friday's attack and two others were wounded in another shooting in the city on Saturday.

"We are not seeking escalation, but we are prepared for any scenario," Netanyahu said as he convened his security cabinet.

He later said the security cabinet decided to increase gun permits for licensed civilians to defend against street attacks. Before the meeting, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would push for the move.

A 13-year-old Palestinian boy in the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan opened fire on Saturday at a group of Israeli passers-by, wounding two, before he was shot and wounded by one of them, police said

The Israeli military said a Palestinian spotted on the edge of a West Bank settlement and armed with a handgun was "neutralized."

The Jerusalem attack on Friday followed an Israeli raid on Thursday in the West Bank city of Jenin that killed nine Palestinians, including seven gunmen, and cross-border fire on Friday between Israel and Gaza.

An Israeli military spokesperson said an additional battalion had been sent to the West Bank for reinforcement.

There was no sign, however, Israel was preparing for a large-scale operation, and its brief cross-border exchange with Gaza ended with no casualties.

On Monday U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is due to arrive for a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank, where clashes have worsened for months.

Thursday's raid was the deadliest in years in the West Bank, where Israel has stepped up operations since a spate of deadly Palestinian street attacks in its cities last year.

At least 30 Palestinians - militants and civilians - have been killed in the West Bank since the start of the month.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who heads the pro-settler Religious Zionism party and like Ben-Gvir is in Netanyahu's security cabinet, said he demands Israeli settlement construction plans in the West Bank speed up.

Netanyahu said after the cabinet meeting that he had decided on steps that would be brought forward this week "to strengthen settlements," without elaborating.

At a Jerusalem hospital treating casualties, Ben-Gvir said more gun permits were justified. "I want weapons on the street. I want Israeli citizens to be able to protect themselves," he said.

Friday's attack

outside a synagogue was the deadliest in the Jerusalem area since 2008. It took place in a neighbourhood on land that Israel annexed to Jerusalem after capturing it in the 1967 Middle East war, in a move not recognised internationally.

The gunman, Khaire Alkam, was a 21-year-old Palestinian from East Jerusalem. Among the dead was a 14-year-old boy, police said. No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting and Alkam's father told Reuters his son had no links to militants.

Forty-two suspects, including his family members, were arrested, police said. Netanyahu said the cabinet had decided to pursue sanctions against families of attackers.

Police said Alkam arrived at 8:15 p.m. and opened fire with a handgun, hitting a number of people before he was killed by police.

who was shot dead on Wednesday in clashes with Israeli forces in a Jerusalem refugee camp, his family said.

His father, Moussa Alkam, said he did not know whether his son was seeking revenge. "He is neither the first nor the last young man to get martyred and what he did is a source of pride," Alkam said.

Shimon Israel, 56, who lives near the attack site, said on Saturday his family was starting their Sabbath dinner when they heard shooting and screaming. He opened the window and saw his neighbour running on the street to get the police.

"I told him 'Eli, don't go there. Eli don't go.' He got married only a year ago. A good neighbour, like a brother. He ran. I saw him fall there," Israel told Reuters.

"Natali, his wife, ran after him. She saw someone here and was trying to resuscitate him. The terrorist came and shot her from behind and got her too," he said.

In Tel Aviv, tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrating against Netanyahu's plans to overhaul Israel's judiciary, began the protest on Saturday with a minute of silence for the dead.

Condemnation

Friday's shooting, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, drew wide condemnation, including by Washington, the United Nations and Israel's Arab and Western allies.

A Ukrainian woman was among the dead, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in Kyiv.

Saudi Arabia, which does not have formal ties with Israel, condemned the targeting of civilians and an escalation in violence must be halted.

Lebanon's Iran-backed group Hezbollah praised the attack, as did Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made no mention of the attack in a statement published by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, and blamed Israel for the escalation in violence.

Abbas's Palestinian Authority, which has limited governing powers in the West Bank, suspended security cooperation arrangements with Israel after Thursday's Jenin raid.

At least 10 students killed as boat capsizes in Kohat's Tanda Dam

At least 10 children died after a boat carrying 25 madrasa students capsized in Tanda Dam of Kohat district.

All of the dead so far recovered from Tanda Dam lake, near Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, were between seven and 14 years old.

According to Rescue 1122, 18 students have been rescued while eight are under treatment in a hospital.

Madrasah students of the village Mir Badshah Khel reportedly came to the Dam for a picnic.

Mass drownings are common in Pakistan, when aged and overloaded vessels lose their stability and pitch passengers into the water.

In July, 18 women drowned when an overcrowded boat carrying a wedding party across the Indus river in Punjab province capsized.

Twitter says users will be able to appeal account suspension

Twitter users will be able to appeal account suspensions and be evaluated under the social media platform’s new criteria for reinstatement, starting Feb 1.

Under the new criteria, which follow billionaire Elon Musk’s purchase of the company in October, Twitter accounts will only be suspended for severe or ongoing and repeat violations of the platform’s policies.

Severe policy violations include engaging in illegal content or activity, inciting or threatening violence or harm, and engaging in targeted harassment of other users, among others.

Twitter said that going forward, it will take less severe action, in comparison to account suspension, such as limiting the reach of tweets that violate its policies or asking users to remove tweets before continuing to use the account.

In December, Musk came under fire for suspending accounts of several journalists over a controversy on publishing public data about the billionaire’s plane. He later reinstated the accounts.

PM Shehbaz condemns desecration of Holy Quran by Danish politician

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned highly offensive desecration of the Holy Quran by a Danish politician.

In a tweet on Sunday, he said that this is the third such incident in a row that should be strongly condemned by the civilised world.

The Prime Minister said the need for global unity to fight Islamophobia couldn't be more urgent than it is now. He said we are deeply hurt.

The Prime Minister urged the international community to come together and fight the rampant Islamophobia, saying "the need for global unity to fight Islamophobia couldn't be more urgent than it is now. We are deeply hurt."

The highly offensive desecration of the Holy Quran by a Danish politician is the third such incident in a row that should be strongly condemned by the civilised world. The need for global unity to fight Islamophobia couldn't be more urgent than it is now. We are deeply hurt.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 29, 2023

A day earlier, the Foreign Office also strongly condemned the senseless and deeply offensive act of desecration of the Holy Quran in Denmark, by the same Islamophobe who committed a similar act in Sweden a few days ago.

In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “This repetition of the vile act leaves little doubt in the minds of Muslims around the world that freedom of expression is being blatantly abused to spread religious hatred and incitement to violence.”

The spokesperson mentioned that Pakistan’s concerns were being conveyed to the authorities in Denmark.

Several thousand people rallied across the country after Friday prayers to voice outrage over targeting the Holy Quran in Sweden and the Netherlands.

Protests were also held in several cities in neighbouring Afghanistan, where men, some carrying Taliban flags, were allowed to take part in rare and brief street demonstrations sanctioned by the authorities.

Demonstrations also broke out in Iraq, while Indonesia summoned Sweden's envoy and Egypt called for a boycott of Swedish and Dutch products.

Iran thwarts drone attacks on Isfahan military site

An explosion at a military plant in Iran's central city of Isfahan was caused by a failed drone attack, Iranian state media has said, citing the Defence Ministry.

"One of (the drones) was hit by the air defence and the other two were caught in defence traps and blew up. Fortunately, this unsuccessful attack did not cause any loss of life and caused minor damage to the workshop's roof," the ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency IRNA early on Sunday.

Iranian news agencies earlier reported the loud blast and carried a video showing a flash of light at the plant, said to be an ammunitions factory, and footage of emergency vehicles and fire trucks outside the plant.

"[The attack] has not affected our installations and mission...and such blind measures will not have an impact on the continuation of the country's progress," the ministry statement said.

In a statement released early on Sunday, the Iranian Defence Ministry said that one of three drones attacking the defense equipment manufacturing complex in Isfahan was downed by a defense system stationed inside the facility and two others exploded after being caught in traps set by the defense system.

The statement said the unsuccessful drone attack, which happened late on Saturday, failed because of preparedness of the defense system stationed in the region.

It said the attack had no casualties and only caused slight damage on the roof of the defense equipment facility.

“Thanks to God’s blessing, the attack caused no disruption to the equipment and the operations of the complex,” said the statement.

The ministry did not say who was suspected of carrying out the attack.

The statement came shortly after Iranian media reported a loud blast in Isfahan.

#BREAKING Iran's Defense Ministry says its ammunition production facility in Isfahan was targeted by three micro aerial vehicles (MAVs), one of which was shot down by the facility's air defense system, and the two others also exploded after being trapped by air defense. pic.twitter.com/ToevbMOkMM

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) January 28, 2023

Dreams of Bushra Bibi 'won’t stand up in court', Bilawal tells Imran

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Saturday slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and said that the ex-prime minister must be careful about what he says.

Bilawal, who holds the portfolio of foreign minister, lambasted the PTI chief after the former accused his father, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, of hatching a plot to assassinate him with the help of terrorist organisations.

"Imran must realize every time his wife has a dream he cannot just come on tv & make accusations about people. Her dreams won’t stand up in court," the minister said in a series of tweets.

Bilawal claimed that Khan’s allegations had increased the threat to him and his family, especially given their history.

“After terrorist outfits called [me] and my party out by name in direct threats, Imran has now made false accusations against my father former president [Asif Zardari]."

"These statements increase threats to my father, my family & my part[y]. We take them seriously given our history," the foreign minister said.Terming the accusations of the PTI chief “dangerous,” he said that PPP was exploring legal responses to Khan’s most recent accusations.

“We are exploring legal response to Imran latest defamatory and dangerous accusations. In the past, he threatened my father that he was ‘in the crosshairs of his gun’."

"He and his associates' history as both sympathizers & facilitators of terrorists are well documented," the foreign minister said.

Reiterating his stance that Khan was unduly sympathetic to terrorists and extremists, Bilawal added: “When in power, he released terrorists and arrested democrats, he handed over Pakhtunkhwa to terrorist organisation, his party funds terrorist groups to this day. All of this will be taken into account if any attack were to take place against myself, my father, or my party.”

In a virtual press conference on Friday Khan — who was ousted as the prime minister in April last year — claimed four people orchestrated a plan "behind closed doors" to assassinate him.

Khan alleged that now that the Wazirabad attack had failed, another plan was afoot. “Asif Zardari is behind it. He has amassed a lot of money through corruption and he has invested that money in terrorists and hired a militant organisation.”

Bilawal further asserted: “His [Khan’s] latest accusation that my family has any association to a terrorist organization or that we would employ them to cause him harm not only defies logic but exposes us all to an increased threat.

“PPP will challenge him. We cannot let populist fiction dominate our discourse, poison our politics & damage our democracy. We will not tolerate being victims of terrorist & put up with propaganda from their political frontmen.”

It must be noted that earlier today, PPP leaders Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nair Bukhari, and Farhatullah Babar held a press conference in Islamabad and denounced the allegations hurled by the former prime minister, saying the party would take legal action if Khan does not retract his statement and apologise.

Speaking during the presser, Bukhari said that Khan is “politically dead already”. “Khan has been mentally affected by his political failures and accuses his rival parties, the judiciary and the establishment from time to time,” he added.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, too, slammed the PTI chief for levying “baseless and dangerous” allegations and spewing vitriol in a bid to stay relevant in the political arena.

 

Spy agencies bust major network of terrorists after Jamrud suicide attack

Intelligence agency busted a network of suicide bombers in multiple intelligence-based operations in North Waziristan and Jamrud, averting the risk of a major attack. A major TTP organiser has also been killed.

The operations began after a suicide attacker targeted a police check post in Takhta Baig in Jamrud on January 19. The attacker injured three security officials with gunfire before blowing up his suicide vest.

The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. A forensic analysis of the site and geofencing led the security to believe that the attacker was TTP member named Umar.

The first IBO conducted on January 23 resulted in the death of Satana Jan, the Jamrud resident who had aided Umar. The TTP also confirmed Jan’s death. Two people related to the attacker, Farman Ullah and Abdul Qayyum were taken into custody.

Another operation was conducted on January 27 after receiving reports that some suspects were active in the area. Four more abettors Fazal Ameen, Fazal Ahmed, Muhammad Amir and Hammad Ullah were rounded up, who subsequently revealed more information about the Jamrud bomber.

It was revealed that the attacker was of Afghan origin and was brought to Pakistan and armed by Satana Jan. Fazal Ahmed had photographed the area of the attack one day before the attack.

It has now been revealed that Satana Jan was incharge of running TTP operations in North Waziristan through four separate residences that were used to plan attacks and arm suicide bombers.

Pakistan strongly condemns desecration of Holy Quran in Denmark

Pakistan on Saturday joined other Islamic nations to strongly condemn the recent attack on Islam’s holy book Quran in Denmark.

The strong response comes as an anti-Islam group burned copies of the Quran near a Copenhagen mosque and outside the Turkish embassy in the Scandinavian country.

In the message, Foreign Office condemned in the strongest terms the senseless and deeply offensive act of desecration of the Holy Quran by the same Islamophobe who committed a similar act in Sweden a few days ago.

“The repetition of the vile act leaves little doubt in the minds of Muslims around the world that freedom of expression is being blatantly abused to spread religious hatred and incitement to violence,” Foreign Office said.

Pakistan also called into question the legal framework behind which the Islamophobes hide and spread hatred with impunity. At a time when there is an increasing need for inter-faith harmony and mutual respect for peaceful coexistence, the international community cannot turn a blind eye to these hate mongers, it said.

MoFA spokesperson reiterated that freedom of expression comes with responsibilities, saying it is the responsibility of the international community to stop these racist and Islampohobic acts.

Islamabad conveyed concerns to the authorities in Denmark, urging them to be mindful of the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and Muslims around the world and take steps to prevent such hateful and Islamophobic acts.

Earlier this week, similar acts were committed by far-right politicians in Stockholm, and in The Hague.

At least 7 killed in shooting in occupied East Jerusalem

A gunman has killed seven people near a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in occupied East Jerusalem before being fatally shot, in an escalation of violence following a deadly Israeli military raid in the West Bank a day earlier.

According to international media reports, after Friday’s shooting, the Magen David Adom emergency service confirmed that seven people were dead, five of them men and two women, while hospitals were still treating three wounded, one in critical condition.

The emergency response agency reported a total of 10 gunshot victims, including a 60-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy.

“I heard a lot of bullets,” Matanel Almalem, an 18-year-old student who lives near the synagogue, told the reporters.

An earlier police statement said there was a “terror attack in a synagogue in Jerusalem” and that “the shooting terrorist was neutralised [killed]”.

Police later said the suspect was a 21-year-old resident of East Jerusalem who appeared to have acted alone in carrying out the attack in an area that Israel annexed to Jerusalem after the 1967 Middle East war.

It said he had tried to flee by car but was pursued by police and shot dead.

 

PM Shehbaz confident of deal with IMF to overcome financial challenges

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has expressed the confidence that Pakistan will conclude a deal with the International Monetary Fund in a bid to overcome the financial challenges.

Speaking at inaugural ceremony of Greenline train service between Islamabad and Karachi in Islamabad on Friday, the Prime Minister said headway in talks with IMF would help the country address the current economic situation.

The IMF delegation will be visiting Islamabad from 31st of this month to 9th of next month to continue discussions regarding the ninth review of the 7 billion dollars Extended Fund Facility.

The Prime Minister emphasized the adoption of austerity at a massive scale to tackle difficult economic problems.

He said the government has set its priority keeping in view its foreign exchange reserves, thus allowing the import of medicine and food as essential items.

Shehbaz Sharif expressed confidence that with dedication and commitment, the country would soon regain its glory.

He regretted that the Greenline project, which was initiated during the tenure of then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was delayed by the previous government in a mala fide.

He endorsed the concept of outsourcing Pakistan Railways to make it better equipped and at par with contemporary services.

The Prime Minister said Main Line-1 railway track is a top priority for the government.

The new train service comprising modern coaches imported from China was launched from the Margalla railway station, Islamabad.

The Prime Minister visited various coaches of the train and appreciated the services provided for the travellers to make their journey comfortable.

The Greenline train will have stops at Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Lahore, Khanewal, Bahawalpur, Rohri, Hyderabad and Drigh Road, Karachi stations.

The turnaround time of the Greenline is set at 22 hours, which will be reduced gradually.

Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq said the ticket would cover breakfast, lunch, hi-tea, and dinner besides wifi.

He said high-quality bedding and utility kits will also be provided to the passengers.

He said around 2,200 passengers would benefit from the train service to be run between Islamabad and Karachi.

Imran Khan claims ex-President Zardari behind new plot to assassinate him

PTI chief Imran Khan — in what can be termed an explosive claim — alleged on Friday that former president Asif Ali Zardari was behind a new plot to assassinate him for which the PPP co-chairman had “given money to a terrorist outfit”.

“Earlier, in a public rally, I had told my supporters that there were four people who had planned to kill me […] but they backed off when I made these revelations.”

Then a “plan B” was made to “eliminate” me in the name of religion, Imran continued, referring to the attack on his life in Wazirabad. “But I got to know about that too and I revealed their plan in two public rallies.”

Referring to Wazirabad attack, he said that the people behind these “conspiracies” had almost succeeded but “God saved him”.

“Now they have made a plan C and Zardari is behind it. He has unlimited corrupt money […] the money he loots from the Sindh government is used in elections, to buy MPAs […] whether it is the elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Gilgit-Baltistan, he recklessly throws money around.

“He has given this money to a terror outfit. His facilitators are powerful people in the agencies. The decision has been taken from three sides and they have planned to execute the next crime,” Imran claimed.

The PTI chairman went on to say that irrespective of whatever was planned, he would be back in the streets as soon as he recovered from the injuries he had sustained during the Wazirabad attack.

“But if something happens to me, my nation should know who was behind it […] so that my nation never forgives them.”

PPP rejects Imran’s claims
Meanwhile, PPP leaders rejected the PTI chief’s claims regarding Zardari. In a statement, PPP’s Shazia Marri said Imran “did not face any danger” Zardari and urged the ex-premier to beware of the “snakes in his sleeves”.

PPP leader Saleem Mandviwalla said that Imran was attempting to mislead the nation by making such claims against Zardari. He noted that Imran had remained a “supporter” of terrorists in the past.

“Imran Khan’s mental state must be examined,” he said. He said that Imran was attempting to blackmail the government by making false claims.

“Imran Khan is trying to save his dead politics using a false and misleading narrative,” he said.

 

Allah responsible for our country's prosperity, says Pakistan finance minister

Asserting the government was firing on all cylinders to salvage the country's economy, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar Friday said Pakistan is the only country founded in the name of Islam and Allah Almighty is responsible for its development and prosperity.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Green Line Express Train service in Islamabad, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that he had full faith that Pakistan would progress because it was created in the name of Islam.

If Allah can create Pakistan then He can also protect, develop, and make it prosper, Dar added.

The finance minister said, "they are trying their best to improve Pakistan's condition under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's leadership".

Dar reiterated the incumbent government inherited several problems from the previous government, adding, the government was working day and night.
"The team is trying to improve the situation ahead of the elections."

He said the country is still suffering due to the "drama" that started five years ago and insisted that the economy was strengthening during Nawaz's tenure from 2013-2017.

The finance minister added that Pakistan Stock Exchange was the best-performing capital market in South Asia and ranked fifth in the world during Nawaz's era and the sights of the world institutions were set on it.

Dar maintained that today Pakistan was paying the price for the "Panama drama", the ouster of the PML-N government, and similar issues it faced over the last five years. "Pakistan was on the growth track during Nawaz's tenure, but it was derailed," he added.

"People can see the destruction the country suffered in the last five years, and they know who has delivered in the past," Dar added.

Dollar wins Dar loses
It is to be noted that despite repeated claims by the finance minister, who replaced Miftah Ismail, to bring the dollar rate under Rs200, the greenback surged to a record high of Rs268.30 in the interbank market.

The Pakistani rupee extended its downward trend on Friday with the local currency plunging over Rs12 against the US dollar in the interbank market as the government eased its control over the currency in order to convince the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to release pending loan tranche.

The local unit was trading at Rs268.30 compared to Thursday's close of Rs255.43 in the interbank market.

A day earlier, the rupee shed 24.11 in the interbank market, falling as low as 255.43 rupees to the dollar. The 9.6% decline is the second-biggest drop in a single session.

‘Delaying elections’ among options tabled at PDM huddle

The top brass of the three major parties in the ruling alliance on Thursday put their heads together at PM House to discuss possible strategies for the upcoming by-polls on vacant National Assembly (NA) seats, as well as elections to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assemblies, with the possibility of delaying the electoral exercises being discussed as one of the options.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also president of the PML-N, met with PPP leader Asif Zardari and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to “discuss the prevailing overall political situation in the country,” according to an official announcement.

This was for the second straight day that the prime minister and his close aides consulted major allies on the “political and economic issues”, after a detailed meeting with Mr Zardari on Wednesday.

The huddles come after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) suggested elections in Punjab between April 9 and 13, and in KP between April 15 and 17. Similarly, the ECP is also gearing up for the by-elections on 93 NA seats, which fell vacant after the acceptance of PTI lawmakers’ resignations.

According to sources in the ruling alliance, the leadership’s main focus in the two meetings was the upcoming elections in Punjab and KP and the economic challenges being faced by the country. They said the possibility of postponing the elections in both provinces also came under discussion.

The proposal, they said, came from the PML-N, which believed that it was not an appropriate time for the party to go into elections, especially in Punjab, where it was struggling to gain ground due to internal wrangling within the party’s ranks, as well as reeling from the fallout of the dire economic and energy situation in the country.

The PML-N, they said, had apprehensions about the outcome of elections held in the absence of party supremo Nawaz Sharif. Moreover, the PML-N is yet to settle on a narrative to go into elections at a time when PTI’s star is on the rise, helped by co-opting the PML-N’s anti-establishment narrative.

“Yes, the issue [of delay in the elections] came under discussion,” said a senior politician who was part of these consultations. However, he claimed, a final decision would be taken after some more meetings, once the parties had a chance to hold internal brainstorming sessions.

He said the leadership discussed the option of delaying the elections on the pretext of the delay in the population census. Mr Zardari, however, was not convinced and sought some more time to consider the proposal, he said.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has already delayed the launch of the country’s first-ever digital census by a month, citing “unavoidable circumstances” and “ground realities”. Earlier scheduled for Feb 1, the census will now begin from March 1 and will continue for a month.

In October 2021, the previous PTI government green-lit the digital census and scheduled it for Oct 2022, which was then deferred to February 2023.

 

Miftah says Dar's attempts to run economy without IMF harmed Pakistan

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Miftah Ismail Thursday slammed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and said that the finmin doubted his ability to keep the economy afloat.

The former finance minister said the attempt to run the country without the help of the Fund resulted in harming Pakistan, however, the government soon realised that it has no option other than embracing the tough conditions of the global lender.

He further stated that a "strange system" has been established in Pakistan under which a small section of elites makes all the decisions.

"Every country is ahead of us and the reason behind it is the fault in governance," Ismail said. He said that the governance system could never be fixed without the devolution of authority.

The politician further stated that the authorities needed to create employment opportunities for the lower class.

"We have seen the democratic system of government, presidential system, and dictatorship as well," he said, adding that the elite system has to be abolished.

"We are at fault as well as we couldn't change this system," he said.

When asked about the recently started national dialogue and formation of a new political party, Ismail said that he is still part of PML-N but he has no plans to take part in the elections in the future.

He, however, clarified that the party has taken no action against him.

Dar orchestrated removal
Earlier, Ismail blamed his successor Dar for running campaigns against him for over six months, saying that the latter could not tolerate someone else from the party in the finance minister's post.

Ismail's comments came during a podcast on a YouTube channel, where he said Dar appeared on TV channels and claimed that he would bring down the dollar rate to Rs160. The former finance minister also claimed that Dar even asked anchors to tweet against him (Miftah) and host TV programmes.

As per Ismail, Dar is closer to Nawaz Sharif because his son is married to the PML-N supremo's daughter and was with him in London. He added that Dar used to tell Nawaz that he would bring the dollar rate and petroleum prices down.

Ismail added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was satisfied with his performance and did not want to replace him. The IMF deal was restored, and default risk had also been minimised in my tenure, he said.

The former minister added that even though it was the PM's prerogative to remove him, the way it was done was not respectful. "Nawaz Sharif called me to London and told me in front of 12 people that I'm being replaced," Ismail lamented.

No backchannel diplomacy with India: Hina khar

The Senate was informed in categorical terms on Thursday that no back-channel diplomacy was presently taking place between Pakistan and India.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar told the House during the question hour that hostility coming from the neighbouring country was of unique nature.

She maintained that relations between the two nations were marred by a number of provocative steps by India. Khar added that the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi being banned by India vindicated Pakistan’s viewpoint on the Gujarat massacre.

The minister said Islamabad was keen that its eastern and western borders remain peaceful and wanted to continue to be on a journey of peace.

She stated that despite New Delhi's negative attitude, Islamabad would continue on the path of peace, and the tension between the two on the Line of Control had decreased.

She continued that minorities in Pakistan enjoyed full religious protection but in India, they were being treated badly.

Khar described the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor as a positive precedent, stating that such processes must move forward.

The minister's remarks come days after, India invited Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to attend meetings of a key regional forum that also includes Russia and China.

The meeting of chief justices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is scheduled for March while the foreign ministers will meet in May in Goa.

However, Pakistan is in no hurry to respond to the Indian invitation to attend the key regional forum’s meeting in May, as officials have termed New Delhi’s invite “routine practice”.

Responding to a Calling Attention Notice, Minister of State for Finance Aisha Ghaus Pasha said the government has a plan to improve the ongoing economic situation. She added that the government was determined to protect the poor segments of society.

Pasha said the government inherited a difficult economic situation and devastating floods and international factors negatively impacted the regime.

She added that all the political parties should stand united while rising above political interest to steer the country out of the current quagmire.

On the occasion, Minister of State for Law Shahadat Awan told the House that television and radio channels air programmes regarding awareness of farmers.

He said both Radio Pakistan and the PTV would be asked to broadcast more such programmes to acquaint farmers with the latest technology.

He was especially appreciative of Radio Multan’s agriculture-specific programmes.

 

Wajahat Hussain 'replaces' Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as PML-Q president

After the emergence of apparent differences within the party ranks, the Pakistan Muslim League–Quaid (PML-Q) general council on Thursday removed Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as the party chief.

The decision was made during a consultative meeting of the party held at the Pakistan Muslim League House situated at Davis Road in Lahore.

Brother of Shujaat, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, has been given the command of the PML-Q. The meeting also removed Shujaat's close aide, Tariq Bashir Cheema, and selected Kamil Ali Agha as the central secretary-general of the party.

The development comes days after Shujaat had suspended the basic membership of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi — for his statement about a possible merger with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

A show-cause notice served to Elahi mentioned that a meeting of the PML-Q — chaired by Shujaat — noted that the provincial president — Elahi — did not have the authority to merge the party with PTI.

"Your [Elahi] party membership is suspended until the explanation," read the notice. A copy of which has also been sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), it added.

In response to the latest move, PML-Q leader and Minister for National Food Security Tariq Bashir Cheema said that Shujaat is the party's president and "serious members" still stand with him.

In a press conference, Cheema said that Shujaat had already suspended Elahi's membership and that when the time is right, he would reveal "why such a drama is taking place".

"Why didn't he merge his [faction] into the PTI? This is an unconstitutional move. The Election Commission of Pakistan has already reserved a decision in this regard."

He added that the party was deliberately divided into two factions. Cheema noted that a majority of PML-Q's National Assembly members were supporting Shujaat.

"However, they [Elahi and his supporters] are just gathering people from Lahore and nearby areas and appointing the party's president and secretary," the federal minister said.

The minister said that PML-Q's general council would meet in the next 10 days in Islamabad, where Elahi and his backers will understand how "popular Shujaat is".

Cheema further added that presidents of all four provinces stand with the ex-prime minister. Playing down the removal of Shujaat, he said: "The move is just like PTI's Balochistan chapter removing Imran Khan from the chairmanship."

For his part, federal minister Chaudhry Salik Hussian — who is also the son of Shujaat — said that his father could not be removed from the party's top post and the ones trying to remove him were only doing so for publicity.

"People were called in Lahore's meeting and they were asked to sign on blank papers," Hussain said, hinting that the members did not willingly sign on the papers for Shujaat's dismissal.

Hussain added that PTI Chairman Khan must have told Elahi to ensure that he holds the reins of the party, but also mentioned that the move was against the law and Shujaat is still the president.

 

Meta to reinstate Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts after 2-year ban

Meta Platforms Inc said Wednesday it will reinstate former US President Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts in the coming weeks, following a two-year suspension after the deadly Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021.

According to international media reports, the restoration of his accounts could provide a boost to Trump, who announced in November he will make another run for the White House in 2024. He has 34 million followers on Facebook and 23 million on Instagram, platforms that are key vehicles for political outreach and fundraising.

His Twitter account was restored in November by new owner Elon Musk, though Trump has yet to post there.

"In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation," wrote Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, in the blog post.

Pakistan reiterates to raise voice on continuing grave HR abuses in IIOJK

Pakistan has reiterated to raise its voice on the continuing grave human rights abuses in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

At her weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan will also continue to extend unstinted moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their quest for self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolution.

She said we pay rich tribute to the sacrifices of martyrs of three massacres committed by the Indian occupation forces in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir during the month of January in the 1990s.

With regard to situation in Afghanistan, the Spokesperson said Pakistan stresses the importance of peace and stability in our neighbourhood.

She said we underscore our desire to work closely with regional countries to pursue continuous and practical engagement with the Interim Afghan Government on countering terrorism and to help avert humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

The FO Spokesperson said during the visit of Russian Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Zamir Kabulov, both Pakistan and Russia reiterated their commitment to work closely to further strengthen coordination and cooperation in promoting peace, stability and economic development in Afghanistan.

They also agreed to continue engagement both bilaterally and in the context of regional forums such as the Moscow Format and the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan platform.

The Spokesperson said Pakistan has strongly condemned the recent acts of desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and the Netherlands. She said we see these acts as racist, xenophobic and Islamophobic.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said far from being a symbol of the freedom of expression and opinion, these acts are provocative and hurtful for the religious sensitivities of over 1.5 billion Muslims around the world.

Mali court sentences man to death over UN peacekeeper deaths

A court in Mali has sentenced a man to death over a 2019 attack that killed three United Nations peacekeepers, the peacekeeping mission MINUSMA said on Wednesday, without naming the defendant.

Mali, an arid West African country run by a military government, has been struggling for a decade with violence from armed non-state actors that has spread across the Sahel region despite costly international efforts to quash it.

According to international media repots, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, as MINUSMA is officially known, has been operational in the country since 2013. But the peacekeepers’ presence has not stopped armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) from attacking villages and towns, army bases and police stations.

The trial centred on an attack on five peacekeepers travelling through the rural commune of Siby in southern Mali, around 50km (31 miles) from the capital Bamako, on February 22, 2019. Three were killed, all from Guinea, which has one of the largest contingents in the mission.

Bamako’s criminal court on Tuesday convicted the man of acts of criminal association, murder, robbery and illegal possession of firearms in connection with the Siby attack, MINUSMA said.

Judges imposed the death penalty, which has not been carried out in Mali since a moratorium was placed on executions in 1980.

The MINUSMA statement did not name the convicted man and gave no details about what plea he entered. The court could not be reached for comment.

MINUSMA has deployed over 13,000 troops to contain the violence, which is concentrated in Mali’s north and centre.

The mission has recorded 281 deaths of MINUSMA personnel, many killed when convoys hit improvised explosive devices planted by the armed groups.

Babar named ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year for the 2nd straight year

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has once again been named the ICC's ODI Player of the Year after he won the International Cricket Council's award for the year 2022 with his spectacular performance in the calendar year 2021.

The batting maestro achieved the feat a day after being named the captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year for 2022.

"There were match-winning knocks, spell-binding stroke-play and memorable moments from a personal perspective and his team in 2022 as Pakistan skipper Babar Azam claimed ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Award for a second consecutive year," a statement released by the international cricket governing body said.

The ICC reminisced some of Babar's memorable performances and outstanding achievements in the year.

What Babar produced during 2022 was even better than 2021, a year for him to remember in ODI cricket, as the "ultra-consistent right-hander maintained his lead" as the No 1 ranked batter on the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings.

It's a title that Babar has held firmly onto since July 2021 and on current form, has no intention of letting go easily.

It might be surprising to note that the prolific batter only played nine ODI matches in 2022, but made them count by smashing three centuries, another five half-centuries, and only really failed with the bat on one occasion.

"It wasn't just from an individual level that Babar thrived, with the Pakistan captain also leading his team with aplomb and to just one loss throughout the year."

The 28-year-old put up back-to-back incredible ODI performances in 2022, but none was more memorable or as good as the outstanding 114 against Australia in Lahore in March.

It was a must-win encounter for Pakistan after they fell to a loss in the series opener against an always-difficult Australian side and Babar delivered when his country needed him most as the Asian side chased down a massive total of 349 for the loss of just four wickets and with six deliveries to spare.

Openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq laid the foundation with a 118-run stand to get the run chase going before Babar put on a masterclass in chasing a total.

Walking out to bat when his team needed 231 from 187 balls, Babar almost took his side home with an exceptional display of shot-making.

He brought up his hundred from just 73 balls - his fastest ever in ODI cricket - and stuck around until the 45th over with the victory target in sight.

The rest of the batters finished the job as Pakistan recorded their highest-ever successful chase in ODIs and it was no surprise that their inspirational skipper was deservedly named Player of the Match.

Pakistani rupee continues to lose strength against US dollar

After losing Rs12 against the US dollar in the open market, the Pakistani rupee also lost Rs11.11 against the greenback in the interbank market on Thursaday.

The local currency was being traded at Rs242 per dollar in the interbank market around 10:48am, according to the data from the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP).

After the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP) removed an unofficial cap on the exchange rate, the Pakistani rupee on Wednesday closed at Rs243.00, falling 2.25 or 0.92% in the open market.

According to the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP), the exchange rate of the Pakistani rupee also depreciated by 49 paisa against the US dollar in the interbank trading and closed at Rs230.89 against the previous day’s closing of Rs230.40.

On the other hand, the buying and selling rates of dollar in the open market were recorded at Rs240.60 and Rs243.00 respectively.

The price of the euro appreciated by 27 paisa and closed at Rs251.28 against the previous day’s closing of Rs251.01, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The Japanese yen remained unchanged to close at Rs1.77, whereas a decrease of Rs1.76 was witnessed in the exchange rate of the British pound, which was traded at Rs284.19 as compared to its last closing of Rs285.95.

The exchange rates of the Emirates dirham and Saudi riyal increased by 16 paisa and 13 paisa to close at Rs62.86 and Rs61.49 respectively.

Suryakumar Yadav named ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year

Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav has been named ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year for 2022.

Yadav claimed the prestigious award as he overpowered Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, England’s Sam Curran and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza – the other three nominees in the category.

“The winner of the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year had one of the best years any player has had in the format’s history,” said ICC in a media release on Wednesday.

The No.1-ranked T20I batter had a stellar year with the bat during which he broke numerous records in the formal. He became only the second batter after Rizwan to score more than 1000 T20I runs in a calendar year.

The right-handed batter, known for his unorthodox shots and exceptional ability to hit every part of the ground, amassed 1164 runs during last year at an astonishing strike rate of 187.43.

“Yadav was at his stupendous best during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, recording three fifties in six innings and averaging nearly 60 during the tournament. Notably, his strike rate was yet again right up there at 189.68,” said ICC’s media release.

4 children killed, 2 women injured in Quetta gas blast

Four children were killed and two women injured in an explosion caused by gas leakage in a house in Quetta.

The incident happened when one member of the family tried to light a heater, without realizing the accumulation of the leaking gas in the room, the reports said.

The house partially collapsed in the incident, and a big fire erupted due to which the kids and the women got serious burn injuries, and were shifted to a nearby hospital by rescue teams, the reports added.

The children succumbed to injuries whereas the critically injured women are being treated at the hospital, said the reports.

Quetta is currently under an extreme cold wave and the mercury drops to minus three degrees Celsius at night and early hours of the morning, therefore gas heaters are widely used to keep homes warm.

New Zealand's Chris Hipkins sworn in as prime minister

Labour leader Chris Hipkins was sworn in as New Zealand's prime minister in a formal ceremony on Wednesday, following the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week.

The Labour party elected former COVID-19 Response and Police minister Hipkins, 44, to lead the party and the country on Sunday. Ardern, 42, resigned last week, saying she had "no more in the tank" to lead the country.

Hundreds gathered in the grounds of Parliament as Ardern left for the final time, hugging each of her members of parliament in turn, with many looking visibly emotional.

She then travelled to Government House, where she tendered her resignation to King Charles' representative in New Zealand, Governor General Cindy Kiro.

Hipkins and his deputy Carmel Sepuloni — the first person of Pacific Islander descent to hold the role — were then sworn in, in a ceremony lasting a few minutes.

Hours later, Hipkins met with journalists after his first cabinet meeting as Prime Minister. Bombarded with questions about the cost of living hours after fresh price data came in above analyst forecasts, Hipkins said he would make the issue central to his policy agenda.

However, he pushed back against announcing new policies immediately, saying he would make haste but not create policy “on the fly”.

“New Zealanders will absolutely see in the coming weeks and months that cost of living is right at the heart of our work programme,” he said.

“It is the number one priority that we are facing as a government and they will see tangible evidence of that. Obviously I’m not going to make it up on the fly, as I’ve already indicated."

Hipkins said he would honour commitments already made for the current term of parliament.

Known as "Chippy", Hipkins is well-known to New Zealanders for his competence in tackling COVID-19, though he acknowledged some mistakes in handling the pandemic and faces a tough battle to retain power in an October general election.

A 1News-Kantar poll released in December had Labour's support falling to 33% from 40% at the start of 2022, meaning the party would not be able to form a majority even with traditional coalition partner the Green Party at 9%. The opposition National Party has benefited from Labour's decline.

PM Shehbaz apologises to nation for massive power outage

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into the nationwide power outage that plunged the country into darkness on Monday and is still impacting areas across Pakistan.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, the premier expressed his "sincere regrets" for the inconvenience suffered by the people due to the breakdown.

"On my orders, an inquiry is underway to determine [the] reasons of the power failure. Responsibility will be fixed," he stated.

A massive breakdown in the national grid on Monday triggered the worst electricity outage across the length and breadth of the country in months, paralyzing life and highlighting the weak infrastructure of the heavily indebted nation.

The authorities concerned began restoring power to millions of people late in the night, which began at around 7:00 am local time.

As evening drew on and homes were without electricity in the dark, Minister for Power Engineer Khurram Dastgir wrote on Twitter that authorities had started restoring power across the country.

Dastgir had told reporters earlier: "We have faced some hurdles but we will overcome these hurdles and will restore the power."

The outage, which the minister had said was due to a voltage surge, is the second major grid failure in three months, and adds to the blackouts that Pakistan's nearly 220 million people suffer on an almost-daily basis.