Daily News Pakistan

President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday approved the withdrawal of the curative review reference and Civil Miscellaneous Application (CMA) against Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The president gave his approval on the advice of the prime minister in accordance with Article 48 of the Constitution. Dr Alvi also signed his power of attorney in favor of Advocate Supreme Court Anees Ahmed Shehzad. Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered to withdraw the curative review reference against Senior Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The cabinet meeting, presided over by Shehbaz Sharif, decided not to pursue the reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa. Taking to twitter, the premier wrote: “On my direction, the government has decided to withdraw the Curative Review Petition against senior most Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Qazi Faez Isa”. The government later forwarded a summary for withdrawing the curative review reference against Justice Isa. The Law Minis...

England's fast bowler James Anderson has expressed surprise over Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam of not being picked in the English Cricket League The Hundred. In a podcast, the host asked fast bowler James Anderson why Babar Azam was not picked. Was it too expensive? In response to which the fast bowler said that he was surprised that Babar was not picked in the Hundred League, I would have offered double money to get Babar in the team and would have put my entire budget to pick him. James Anderson said, "But I think there was a problem with Babar's availability due to which he could not be picked." It should be noted that Babar Azam was not picked by any team in the Hundred League draft while Shaheen Afridi was the most expensive player picked from Pakistan.

Following the recusal of two judges, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has resumed the hearing of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election delay case. The other two members of the bench are Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar. The bench was converted into a three-member bench after two judges, earlier part of the case, recused themselves. Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan was the first member to recuse himself. While Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail also withdrew himself from the Supreme Court bench earlier today making it the second time in consecutive days that the bench has been dissolved. Initially, a five-member larger bench of the top court was formed on Monday to hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) plea against the delay in elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. The initial bench comprised CJP Bandial, Justice Ahsan, Justice Akhtar, Justice Khan, and Justice Mandokhail. It held three hearings on the matter. However, on ...

After a long delay, Twitter has finally announced new API price structures. The pricing strategy has divided users into three tiers. The new structure offers a free tier which has limited functionality. The users of this tier can post up to 1,500 tweets a month but will not have access to other vital functions. This tier mainly focuses on bots and testing purposes. The second tier is for $200. With this tier, developers can post up to 3,000 tweets monthly at the user level and up to 50,000 at the app level. In addition to that, it offers a read limit of 10,000 tweets a month. The third tier, which targets commercial projects and businesses, still needs to be determined regarding pricing and limitations. As per the company, access to this category would be enough to satisfy the business's and its customers' needs. Twitter still needs to clarify access for researchers or academics who rely on this platform. However, the platform is working on it.

After Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan's recusal, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail on Friday also recused himself from the Supreme Court bench hearing the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election delay case making it the second time in consecutive days that the bench has been dissolved. Initially, a five-member larger bench of the top court was formed on Monday to hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) plea against the delay in elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. The initial bench comprised Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Khan, and Justice Mandokhail. It held three hearings on the matter. However, on Wednesday a SC bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Wednesday ordered the postponement of cases being heard under Article 184(3) of the Constitution till the amendments made in the Supreme Court Rules 1980 regarding the discretionary powers of the chief justice to form benches. Justice Khan concurred with Ju...

A New York grand jury on Thursday indicted Donald Trump over hush money payments made to a porn star during his 2016 campaign, making him the first former US president to face criminal charges. The historic indictment of the 76-year-old Republican — who denies all wrongdoing in connection with the payments made ahead of the election that sent him to the White House — is certain to upend the current presidential race in which Trump hopes to regain office. And it will forever mark the legacy of the former leader, who survived two impeachments and kept prosecutors at bay over everything from the US Capitol riot to missing classified files — only to land in court over a sex scandal involving Stormy Daniels, a 44-year-old adult movie actress. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirmed that it had contacted Trump’s lawyers Thursday evening to “coordinate his surrender” for arraignment in New York — with the felony charges against him to be revealed at that point. CNN re...

Nottinghamshire have signed Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi for their 2023 Vitality Blast campaign. Afridi will join Colin Munro as one of the club's two T20 overseas players. Last season, Nottinghamshire missed out on qualification for the knockout stages of the Blast for the first time since 2015, and head coach, Peter Moores, hailed Afridi as a "box-office player" who could help reinvigorate the club, T20 champions in 2017 and 2020. BREAKING | ?? speedster @iShaheenAfridi signs for the 2023 @VitalityBlast . Full details ▶️ https://t.co/EptegVwJ2q #TheEagleHasLanded pic.twitter.com/0O8OtRynQP — Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) March 30, 2023 "In Shaheen, we've got a world class player - which is really exciting - and a player with a point of difference with the ball, which is crucial when we are looking to recruit," Moores said. "We are building from a strong platform, with a lot of very talented lads hungry to play T20, and Sha...

The lahore High Court ruled in a case against registration of a case under sedition provisions and struck down Section 124A of the Sedition Act.In his judgement Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court declared Article 124A to be in conflict with the Constitution. Petitions were filed by Abuzar Salman Niazi and others against the registration of case under the provisions of sedition in the Lahore High Court. On this occasion, the petitioner said that the Sedition Act was made in 1860 which is a sign of the British era and is used for slaves. In his request, the position was adopted that the Constitution of Pakistan gives every citizen the right to freedom of expression, still section 124A is imposed in the Sedition Act for making speeches against the rulers, the Sedition Act is still made political through Section 124 and is being used for purposes. It was further held that the imposition of section 124-A of treason on speeches against the government was violative of section ...

The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, has appointed his eldest son, Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Zayed, as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. According to Arab media reports, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed has appointed his brother Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the Vice President of the United Arab Emirates. The reports said that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid will also continue to perform his duties as the Vice President of the Emirates. In addition, the Emirati president named his brothers Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed and Sheikh Huzaa bin Zayed as the deputy rulers of Abu Dhabi. UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on Wednesday named his eldest son Sheikh Khaled crown prince of Abu Dhabi https://t.co/5kq2qp1pHP pic.twitter.com/yY8SgxzuXe — Arab News (@arabnews) March 29, 2023

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted by consensus and to cheers a resolution calling for the world body's top court to outline legal obligations related to climate crisis. According to international media reports, pushed for years by Vanuatu and Pacific islander youth, the measure adopted Wednesday asks the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to lay out nations' obligations for protecting Earth's climate and the legal consequences they face if they don't. "Together, you are making history," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, emphasising that even if non-binding, an opinion from the International Court of Justice "would assist the General Assembly, the UN and member states to take the bolder and stronger climate action that our world so desperately needs." The resolution, ultimately co-sponsored by more than 130 member states, had been widely expected to pass. The adoption sends "a loud and clear message not only around...

Justice Aminuddin Khan of the Supreme Court on Thursday recused himself from a five-member bench hearing the PTI’s petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to postpone polls to the Punjab Assembly till Oct 8. The Supreme Court was set to resume the hearing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) plea against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP’s) decision to defer the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 11:30 but the hearing was delayed following Justice Aminuddin's recusal. An SC bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Wednesday ordered the postponement of cases being heard under Article 184(3) of the Constitution till the amendments made in the Supreme Court Rules 1980 regarding the discretionary powers of the chief justice to form benches. Justice Amin-Ud-Din concurred with Justice Isa while Justice Shahid Waheed dissented with the majority order of 2-1 in a suo moto case regarding the grant of 20 marks to Hafiz-e-Quran while seeking admis...

Pakistan has welcomed the European Union's decision to remove it from the list of high-risk countries, thus recognizing its performance in overcoming technical issues related to Countering Financing of Terrorism. In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said this follows UK's decision to remove Pakistan from a similar list in November last year. She said the removal from the list will ease financial transactions between entities from Pakistan and the European Union. The Spokesperson said Pakistan looks forward to building on this development for mutually beneficial economic cooperation with the European Union and sharing its experience in the up-gradation of AML/CFT regimes with partner countries. This followed UK’s decision to remove Pakistan from a similar list in November 2022, the spokesperson said in a press release. “The removal from the list will ease financial transactions between entities from Pakistan and the European Union. Pakistan look...

Former head coach of the Pakistan team, Mickey Arthur, is set to be appointed as the consultant team director by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Grant Bradburn is likely to work as the head coach of the team. Former South African fast bowler, Morne Morkel, is expected to join as the bowling coach, while Andrew Puttick is set to work as the batting coach. The coaching panel is expected to join the team before the start of the home series against New Zealand, which is set to begin on April 14, featuring five T20 Internationals and as many ODI matches. Physio, Cliffe Deacon, and strength and conditioning coach, Drikus Saaiman, are the two foreign coaches already working with the national team. Mickey will travel to Pakistan for a shorter time period and will return back to Derbyshire where he will be fulfilling duties as the head coach. However, Morne Morkel will not be part of the coaching panel for the series against New Zealand as he is associated with an Indian Premier League...

Space scientists in the UK have discovered a supermassive black hole 33 billion times the mass of Sun. British media quoted the scientists from Durham University as saying that this is one of the biggest ever black hole found. The news about its discovery has been published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, and has been dubbed "extremely exciting", according to the outlet. This comes days after an international team of experts found that a supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy named PBC J2333.9-2343 has changed direction and is now aiming towards the Earth. Astronomers believe that such massive black holes can be found at the centre of all large galaxies such as the Milky Way, which includes our own solar system. I read this as having found a supermassive black hole in the UK, which would explain everything. https://t.co/4DYAGlwGAx — Mark Follows (@ElectricLeisure) March 29, 2023 Talking about the latest discovery, lead auth...

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is set to leave for the United States, a stop on her way to firm ties with Guatemala and Belize after China snapped up another of the self-ruled island's few diplomatic allies last week. "We are calm and confident, will neither yield nor provoke," Tsai said on Wednesday at Taiwan's main international airport at Taoyuan, adding that external pressure will not stop Taiwan's determination to go out into the world. According to international media reports, after first visiting New York, Tsai will continue her 10-day trip by meeting her Guatemalan counterpart Alejandro Giammattei and Belize Prime Minister John Briceno in their respective countries. She will then stop in Los Angeles on her way back to Taiwan. US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he will meet Tsai in California, a move protested by China's Taiwan Affairs Office, which called the meeting "a provocation". "This so-called transit by the Taiwan leader i...

A local court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Wednesday in a case filed against him for threatening a female judge. Announcing the reserved verdict, Judicial magistrate Malik Aman rejected the request filed by Imran's counsel seeking relief from court appearance and issued orders to ensure his presence in court on April 18. The case against the former prime minister was registered on August 20 last year with Margalla police station in the federal capital over his remarks at a rally in F9 Park where he warned Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police high-ups of dire consequences for what he called their “biased” attitude towards his party. He alleged that Judge Zeba knew that incarcerated party leader Shahbaz Gill was tortured, but she did not release him on bail. While the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had withdrawn its show cause notice to Imran and said it was satisfied with the ...

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday resumed hearing the PTI’s petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay polls to the Punjab Assembly by more than five months as the government launched a bid to curtail the chief justice’s suo motu powers. The government on Tuesday tabled a bill titled "The Supreme Court (Practice and Protection) Bill, 2023" in the National Assembly and adopted a resolution holding “undue interference by the judiciary in political matters as a cause of political instability in the country”. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has filed a petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) March 22 order postponing the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa citing multiple reasons. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday observed that the ECP had no authority and legal backing for postponing the elections in Punjab until October 8 and passed its order in haste. A five-member larger bench of the apex court, headed b...

After exiting the grey list of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Pakistan has achieved another major milestone as European Union (EU) has removed Pakistan from the list of High Risk Third Countries. The European Commission has removed Pakistan from the List of High Risk Third Countries, which have strategic deficiencies in their Anti Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) regime. The exports from Pakistan will not be any more liable to additional conditions set by legal and economic operators. Federal Minister for Trade Syed Naveed Qamar said that the exemption is a breeze of ease for Pakistani exporters. The minister confirmed that EU has exempted Pakistan from high-risk third counties list. Sir EU has removed Pakistan from the List of High Risk Third Countries. Pakistani businesses and individuals would no longer be subjected to ‘Enhanced Customer Due Diligence’ by European legal and economic operators. — Syed Naveed Qamar (@naveedqamarmna) March...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for collective wisdom and efforts to ensure rule of law and supremacy of constitution in the country. Speaking in the National Assembly today, he said a society based on justice is imperative to steer the country out of current dire straits. "Last year, we were in the opposition and parties with different ideologies decided that we should save the state. The coalition parties put politics at stake to save the state," he said at the start of his speech. He said 50 years have passed since the 1973 Constitution was made. "The tragedy of 1971 was a lesson for the entire nation. The Constitution clarified the powers of the legislature, judiciary and administration. When we sat at the Opposition benches, the coalition parties put politics at stake to save the state, but today, a mockery has been made of the Constitution," he said. Slamming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, the premier said that a certain ...

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said on Tuesday that the opinion of two judges in the previous Supreme Court (SC) verdict over provincial assembly elections is not relevant in the case concerning the postponement of Punjab Assembly polls. The CJP passed the remark when the Supreme Court resumed the hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision on Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections. CJP Bandial is heading the five-member larger bench hearing the plea. Apart from the CJP, the bench includes Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail. The Imran Khan-led party had challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to defer the Punjab polls till October 8. The electoral body's announcement came after financial and security authorities expressed their inability to support the electoral process. Following...

President Dr. Arif Alvi has strongly condemned the recent act of desecration of Holy Quran in Denmark. In a statement on Tuesday, he said these heinous acts have hurt the sentiments of Muslims all over the world. Such incidents are provocative and indicate rising Islamophobia in the world. The President said freedom of speech is not the name of hate speech and inciting people to violence. He said the desecration acts are contrary to internationally recognized norms and principles of legitimate expression of freedom of expression. He said Islam preaches peace and brotherhood to the humanity. President Arif Alvi urged the international community to take practical measures against Islamophobia and discourage extremist elements. He also stressed the need for practical steps to promote tolerance, interfaith harmony and dialogue.

The United States has issued a clarification on the statements of former US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad regarding the political situation in Pakistan. In recent days, former American diplomat Khalilzad had supported Imran Khan's position in successive statements and had said that the elections in Pakistan should be held soon. Khalilzad's remarks had also been condemned by the Pakistani Foreign Office. Khalilzad, while issuing a statement on the political situation in Pakistan, had said that Pakistan is facing three crises, which are political, economic and security related. "Mr Khalilzad is a private citizen, and any social media activity or comments or tweets that you might reference, those are done in his private capacity," US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel clarified on Monday during a press briefing. Patel said that Khalilzad's statements do not represent US foreign policy, and that he [Khalilzad] does not speak for the Biden admini...

The Supreme Court has resumed the hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) petition on Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections' date. A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial is hearing the plea. Apart from the CJP, the bench includes Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan and Justice Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail. The Imran Khan-led party had challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to defer the Punjab polls till October 8. The electoral body's announcement came after financial and security authorities expressed their inability to support the electoral process. Following this, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali also urged the electoral body to hold general elections on the same date (October 8) as the Punjab polls given the growing security threats from terror groups operating from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions. At the outset of the hearing, ...

A bus ferrying pilgrims to Makkah burst into flames after a collision on a bridge on Monday, killing 20 people and injuring more than two dozen others. The incident in the southern province of Asir highlights persistent challenges to safely transporting worshippers to Makkah and Madina. “According to preliminary information we have now received, the number of deaths in this accident reached 20, and the total number of injuries was 29,” the state-affiliated media reported. It said the victims had “different nationalities”, but did not mention them or provide a breakdown. The channel said the bus had “car trouble”, without specifying, while a private newspaper said the accident resulted from an issue with the brakes. The vehicle “then collided with a bridge, overturned and caught fire”.

North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles, South Korea's military said, the latest in its flurry of weapons tests in recent weeks. Monday's launch comes as Seoul and Washington are carrying out a joint amphibious landing exercise, and just days after they wrapped up their largest combined military drills in five years. "Our military detected two short-range ballistic missiles fired from around Junghwa area in North Hwanghae province from 07:47 am (2247 GMT) towards the East Sea," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. "Our military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance against additional launches, while maintaining a full readiness posture through close cooperation between South Korea and the United States," it added. Japan's defence ministry also confirmed the launch, with Japanese media citing officials as saying both missiles are believed to have flo...

Following a second loss against Afghanistan in the ongoing T20 series, former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur backed young cricketers — Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Haris — who couldn't perform well. The Green Shirts faced a disastrous loss against the neighbouring country as left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed the wickets of Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique, both for nought, in the first over, during the second match. Meanwhile, Haris could score only 15 for 9 before being sent to the dugout. The overall performance of the side in the T20I series has been a disappointment for Pakistani fans and has attracted a lot of criticism. However, Arthur is of the view that there is no doubt in the talent of the three youngsters who proved their mettle in league cricket but international cricket comes with different pressures and responsibilities. "Groom them, give them time and allow them opportunities to bat with experienced players and they will come through,...

The Islamabad High Court on Monday granted PTI Chairman Imran Khan interim bail in seven cases registered against him following clashes at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) on March 18. In petitions filed in the IHC today, the PTI chief sought interim bail in seven cases registered against him at Golra, Bara Kahu, Ramna, Khanna, and CTD police stations. The cases are related to violence outside the Federal Judicial Complex on March 18 — where Imran had appeared in the Toshakhana case. A two-member IHC division bench, comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, heard the former premier’s petition. The pleas, filed through Barrister Salman Safdar, stated that Imran would suffer “irreparable loss” if he was arrested. “Furthermore, being head of the single largest political party, there is an apprehension that his political adversaries and opponents would be able to further their nefarious designs and political ambitions if pre-arrest bail is not...

Shadab Khan believed that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan would get a greater amount of respect from the nation and the media after the ongoing series against Afghanistan, which saw the new-look team suffering a dismal 2-0 defeat. Pakistan T20I captain for the three T20Is against Afghanistan, Shadab, requested the people of the country to support the youngsters, saying, “we must accept one’s failures so that he can turn into a world-class player.” “We are aware of the talent in each of these players. Nervousness is always there, every time you wear a Pakistan star. This was seen today as well,” he said in a post-match press conference on Sunday after Pakistan lost the second T20I and the first bilateral series against Afghanistan. Shadab said conditions were totally different in Sharjah, adding, “Any team facing Afghanistan in these conditions, would have met the same fate.” He added the motive behind sending the young team for the assignment was to prepare the bench strength. “I...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited free flour distribution centers in Bahawalpur today and expressed satisfaction on the process of distribution. He visited flour distribution centers established at Abbasia High School and Dring Stadium in the city and expressed satisfaction over the process of distribution. The prime Minister issued directions to provide free flour to elderly and sick persons on priority basis. He also directed to provide two bags of flour to the deserving people to save them from repeated visits to the distribution centers. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also visited Multan on Sunday and inspected free flour distribution center established at Sports Ground. He examined the process from registration to delivery of flour to the registered deserving families and expressed his satisfaction on the arrangements. The Prime Minister listened to the complaints of people and directed authorities to solve these immediately. The Prime Minister was told that 34...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan arrived at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday to seek pre-arrest bail in different cases registered against him in the federal capital. A video on PTI’s official Twitter showed the PTI chairman arriving in Islamabad, where he was welcomed with petals and slogans. According to PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Imran will appear in court today for the fourth time within a week. “What are the charges? You came to court with your supporters because of which the outer gate [of the court] broke, hence you are a terrorist,” he said. Fawad went on to say that the government has turned Pakistan into a joke. “They believe the writ of the state will be established by abducting Pakistanis,” he added. Last week, the Lahore High Court extended Imran’s protective bail till March 27 (today) in five cases registered against him in Islamabad, including two for “vandalism” at the judicial complex and high court. The former premier had also been gr...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday blamed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan for the challenges Pakistan is facing today. In a tweet, the premier stated that "Imran Niazi has always been about grandstanding and rhetoric". These remarks come a day after the PTI rally held at the Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, wherein the party chief had criticised the coalition government. "The nation is justified in asking him [Imran] about his dismal performance in office both at the federal and provincial levels," tweeted Shehbaz. Further, the prime minister claimed that "today's political, governance and economic challenges have their roots in his [Imran's] failed policies". A day earlier at the Minar-e-Pakistan rally, the PTI chief had lambasted the incumbent regime, saying it was bent upon creating an “environment of fear” and hailed the rally participants for reaching the venue despite all “odds" and a s...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday spent a busy day touring different flour centres in Bahawalpur, Multan and Lodhran to review arrangements for the distribution of free flour bags among the deserving people under PM’s Ramazan Relief Package. The prime minister visited flour distribution centers established at Abbasia High School and Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur and expressed satisfaction over the process of distribution. During the visit, PM Shehbaz issued directives to provide free flour to elderly and sick persons on a priority basis. He also interacted with different people, especially the aged ones and females and listened to their complaints. He also inspected a free medical camp set up by the district administration. Later, PM Shehbaz Sharif visited flour distribution centres in Multan. On Saturday, the prime minister had visited Lahore, Kasur and Sargodha to inspect distribution of free flour.

A local court in Quetta on Sunday handed over Hassaan Khan Niazi, the nephew of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, to the Punjab Police on transit remand. After the court passed the order, the Punjab Police took the PTI chief’s nephew and reportedly left for Lahore. The Punjab home department had written a letter to the Balochistan home department for the extradition of Niazi. Imran's nephew was then produced before the judicial magistrate. Talking to the media, Niazi's lawyer Iqbal Shah told the media that the party chairman's nephew was granted bail a day earlier, stating “under what law has he been sent to jail?” “We had submitted surety bonds and kept waiting at the jail gate, but Niazi was not released,” he added. The lawyer furthered that the jail administration was “reluctant to take protective bail order yesterday”. Shah also stated that when the police had no justification to detain his client, the DC issued a detention notification under Sect...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif informed President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday that his letter regarding the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections read like a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) press release which is "blatantly partisan in nature" and supports the Imran Khan-led party's "one-sided and anti-government" views. The president on Friday had penned a letter to PM Shehbaz, urging him to ensure the implementation of the Supreme Court’s orders in relation to the general elections in both provinces. The move came after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had postponed the upcoming elections in Punjab — initially scheduled to be held on April 30 — citing security reasons as the major cause behind the change in plans. In his letter, the president emphasised that all concerned executive authorities of the federal and provincial governments should be directed to refrain from abuse of human rights and also to assist the ECP to hold general elections in the t...