COAS lauds PLA's role in China's nation building

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar javed Bajwa lauds People's Liberation Army's role in China's defense, security and nation building.

Army Chieg has said Pakistan-China relationship is unique and robust that has proven its resilience in the face of challenges.

He was addressing a ceremony in connection with the 95th Anniversary of the founding of Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) at GHQ in Rawalpindi.

The Army Chief said PLA and Pakistan Army are brothers in arms and our relationship will continue to contribute towards safeguarding the collective interests. He highlighted various facets of the deep rooted ties between the two states, militaries and the peoples.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, in his remarks, thanked the Army Chief for hosting reception on the eve of PLA's anniversary. He said China and Pakistan are iron brothers, all weather friends and strategic partners.

The Chinese Ambassador said the recent meeting of China-Pakistan Joint Committee of Cooperation has set up an important platform for military collaborations which will serve effectively for military to military relations between the two countries.

PM Shehbaz reviews relief work in Balochistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed for immediate disbursement of financial assistance to those who lost their family members in rains and floods in Balochistan.

Speaking at the briefing by National Disaster Management Authority in Quetta on Monday, he said the government has increased the amount of financial assistance for partially and fully damaged houses to five hundred thousand rupees.

The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts of National Highway Authority during relief and rehabilitation activities besides opening of communication infrastructure. He directed concerned officials to increase medical camps in flood affected areas so that people timely get medical facilities.

The Prime Minister said heavy monsoon rains have badly affected infrastructure in the province besides human losses. He said that Federal and Provincial Governments are committed to complete rehabilitation of every affected family.

Earlier, Prime Minister arrived in Balochistan on a day-long visit to oversee relief operations in the flood-affected areas of the province.

Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz briefed the prime minister regarding the relief and rescue activities while onboard the flight to Quetta.

Federal Ministers Sardar Israr Tareen, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Maulana Abdul Wasay, Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, Minister of State Muhammad Hashim Notezai, Member of National Assembly Salahuddin Ayubi and Chairman NDMA accompanied the prime minister.

National Assembly speaker likely to accept more PTI resignations

According to media reports, the National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf is likely to accept more resignations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Members.

Earlier, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignation of 11 PTI MNAs last Thursday.

Earlier, the resignations of 11 PTI MNAs including Shireen Mazari, Ali Muhammad Khan, Ijaz Shah, Farrukh Habib, Shandana Gulzar, Fazal Muhammad, Fakhar Zaman, Abdul Shakoor Shad, Jameel Ahmed and Akram Cheema were approved initially and more resignations will be accepted in phases.

According to media reports, the NA Speaker consulted with Khursheed Shah, Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Saad Rafique before accepting the resignations and sent a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to denotify the lawmakers.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) with Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the chair.

CM Punjab announces to extend Rescue 1122

Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi has announced to extend the Rescue 1122 emergency bike service to 27 districts of the province during this year.

Chaudhry Parvez Elahi approved the extension of Rescue 1122 service in all tehsils of Punjab this year as soon as he assumed the post of Chief Minister.

In a statement, he said the emergency service is a service to humanity.

CM Chaudhry Parvez Elahi says Rescue 1122 is a valuable and proud organization. We laid the foundation of this important institution in Punjab, today this institution is recognized not only in Pakistan but also globally. Now the scope of its service will be extended to 86 more tehsils of the province. The scope of motorbike rescue service will also be extended to 27 more districts of Punjab.

He further said that the work of rescuers is not just a duty but it is equivalent to serving humanity.

 

ANF recovers 68 kg of drugs

Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) on Monday, recovered more than 60 kg of drugs while conducting the operation near to Islamabad-Lahore motorway.

According to the details, ANF Intelligence recovered around 68 kg of drugs from a Honda Civic, in which 36 kg of opium and 32 kg of weed were included. While conducting the operation, ANF personnel detained the accused, Muhammad Musa, who was a resident of Lahore.

According to media reports, the intelligence officials mandated that the accused would be charged with drug offenses and further investigations have been started.

Earlier, a successful operation was also carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar. Drugs were recovered from the passenger’s stomach. The passenger was going to Bahrain on a private airline.

The spokesperson of ANF told that the accused is from Peshawar, but a case has been registered against the accused according to the Anti-Narcotics Act.

Monsoon rains claim 9 more lives in Balochistan

During the last 24 hours, at least nine more people died in Balochistan. According to a Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) report, around 13,000 homes have also been damaged in the flash floods.

The heavy monsoon spells have rendered Balochistan calamity stricken as at least 136 people have so far been confirmed dead due to flood related incidents.

In Quetta, sinkholes were formed on many roads due to heavy rainfall.

On the other hand, Punjab’s Jhang and Ranjanpur districts reeled under flood waves. The River Chenab overflowed near Jhang and water entered the populated areas.

Officials feared overflowing Chenab could also cause floods near Gujranwala.

In Rajanpur, which was hit by floods earlier this week, the Pakistan Army continues to carry out rescue operations. It has also set up medical and relief camps.

In Dera Ghazi Khan, the flood water was receding and people who had migrated from the area were returning homes.

However, in the Sindh province, several villages near Gambat have been flooded and the road link between Khairpur and Gambat and Kangri was lost.

Sri Lanka president seeks unity government to save economy

Sri Lanka’s new president Ranil Wickremesinghe has formally invited MPs to join an all-party unity government to revive the bankrupt economy by undertaking painful reforms, his office said on Sunday.

Wickremesinghe took office earlier this month after public anger over the island nation’s worst economic crisis forced his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and quit.

In a meeting on Saturday with the influential monks of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, one of Buddhism’s most sacred shrines, Wickremesinghe outlined his plans.

“As the president, I wish to start a new journey,” Wickremesinghe was quoted as telling the monks in his first meeting with the powerful Buddhist clergy since taking office.

“I would like to get all the parties together and go on that journey as well as to form an all-party government.”

He has written to all lawmakers asking them to join a unity government.

A former opposition MP, Wickremesinghe, 73, took up the premiership for the sixth time in May after Rajapaksa’s elder brother Mahinda resigned and there were no other takers for the job.

Wickremesinghe went onto become the president after Gotabaya escaped on July 9 when tens of thousands of protesters angry at the economic crisis stormed the presidential palace.

He fled to Singapore from where he resigned five days later and Wickremesinghe became interim president and later won a vote in parliament confirming his ascension.

Sri Lanka’s 22 million people have endured months of lengthy blackouts, record inflation and shortages of food, fuel and medicines. Since late last year, the country has run out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential imports.

In April, Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt and opened bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.

Wickremesinghe told monks that the economy would decline further this year with a contraction of 7.0 per cent, but expected a recovery next year.

“I am working to re-stabilise this economy and build the economy in such a way that the country can be developed by 2023, 2024.

“It is a difficult task. But if you don’t do it now, it will be more difficult. We should think about whether we should try to cure the patient by giving medicine or let the patient die without giving medicine,” he added.

He said inflation currently running at 60.8pc could go up further.

After his election as president, Wickremesinghe, while ordering security forces to clear protest sites, has appointed an interim cabinet leaving the door open for others to join.

He has called a new session of parliament from Wednesday and is expected to expand the 18-member cabinet to accommodate members from opposition parties.