Pakistan News World

In a CTD operation against alleged terrorists, two alleged terrorists were killed while four officials were injured. The CTD team conducted an intelligence-based raid in Taiser Town area of Karachi, during the CTD’s operation against the alleged terrorists, the terrorists started firing. Two alleged terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire between CTD and terrorists. The CTD spokesman has said that the dead alleged terrorists belong to the banned organization. As per the CTD spokesman, four police officials - Abid, Ashar Khan, Irfan and Maula Bakhsh were injured during the exchange of fire. DIG CTD has said that the CTD team raided the place late at night, the exchange of fire is still going on, more personnel have been called in the area. via Original Source

The England cricketer Phil Salt has credited his team’s bowlers for setting up a platform for England’s win after the top order batter helped his side register 8-wicket win in Lahore. Phil Salt smashed three 6s and stroked 13 shots to the fence and scored 88 off 41 as England reached target of 170 in less than 15 over. The England cricketer said that wicket wasn’t that flat but his team’s bowler did really well and set up the platform. “I think the wicket played quite well, probably as well as we've seen so far in this series. There was still a bit there for the bowlers. Slower balls gripped and sometimes there was a bit of variable bounce,” he said.   via Original Source

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

Special Court (Central) adjourned the hearing till October 8 in the Rs16 billion money laundering case filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against Shehbaz and Hamza. During today's hearing, Hamza did not appear before the court as he had sought exemption on medical grounds. Moments into the hearing, the prime minister also sought exemption as he had "important" matters to attend to. The premier also told the court that a "fake case" has been registered against him and that he had made several decisions in the interest of the people, hurting his family business in the process. PM Shehbaz's lawyer, Amjad Pervaiz, who presented his arguments today will continue them at the next hearing as well. At the outset, the premier's lawyer, Amjad Pervaiz, told the court that his client will appear before it in a while. Shortly after, the premier arrived at the hearing. Starting his arguments, Pervaiz said that the first information report (FIR) reg...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan “thanked” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “deliberately leaking the Prime Minister House audio”, saying that it “proved that the cipher was a reality”. Addressing a public rally in Muzaffarabad, Azam Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Imran said his government stopped trade with India after New Delhi’s illegal action of August 5, 2019 but the son-in-law of Maryam Nawaz imported machinery from India. “By leaking the audio from the Prime Minister House, Shehbaz Sharif himself has revealed the truth about the cipher. I thank him for that,” Imran said, referring to the audio leak on Wednesday, purportedly of his conversation with his then principle secretary. The audio leak has brought Imran’s narrative of foreign conspiracy into renewed focus, particularly the diplomatic cable – cipher – he has touted at a public rally in March as a proof of a US-backed conspiracy to topple his government. “The audio leak proves th...

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari lauded New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern by calling her "the superwoman of New Zealand." Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Bilawal shared his photographs with PM Ardern. These photographs were captured while the two met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly's 77th session in New York. The minister termed his meeting with PM Ardern "the biggest fan moment." In his tweet, he said PM Ardern is the second woman after his mother, Benazir Bhutto, who became a mother during her term as prime minister. According to Bilawal, she also revealed to him that her daughter was born on June 21—the same day that Benazir Bhutto was born—a detail that PM Jacinda also brought up in her speech at Harvard University's commencement on May 26 earlier this year. PM Ardern, addressing the ceremony, paid homage to Benazir Bhutto and said, "In June 1989, the prime minister of Pakistan [Benazir Bhutto] stood on t...

Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman has said that large parts of Sindh are still inundated with flood waters and funds and resources are required to save the lives of the people and provide shelter to them. “The flood waters are still standing in large parts of Sindh, where many parts of the land are below sea level, while funds and resources to save lives and provide shelter are still in short supply,” Rehman said and pointed out that immediate relief needs are swallowing up all available resources. The federal minister said that despite development partners stepping in as well as the United Nations Secretary-General, who has made an impassioned appeal to assist Pakistan, the gap between existing and upcoming needs is huge. “Just the huge dewatering needs to pump out entire mini-oceans cannot be met at this scale, at least with the current water engineering resources available. Nobody ever expected or planned for this much water to bomb down from the sky, no...

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa inaugurated newly renovated 501 Central Workshop Cricket Ground named as Chaklala Cricket Ground in Rawalpindi on Thursday. The cricket ground was upgraded to provide state of the art sports facility to cricket fans especially for the youth of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The sports ground will be available to students and cricket clubs of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to promote the game of cricket and provide healthy sports environment. In his remarks, the Army Chief appreciated the efforts of Rawalpindi Corps for renovating the old cricket ground and providing an excellent cricketing facility for the city. via Original Source

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority on Thursday approved a reduction of Rs4.87 per unit for K-Electric consumers on account of fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for August 2022. The hearing of KE's fuel adjustment application in NEPRA was presided over by the power regulator's Chairman Tauseef H Farooqi. In a statement, the chairman said with the reduction in the power tariff, KE customers will get relief of more than Rs7 billion. NEPRA said KE's own cost of power generation is around Rs38 per unit and it buys electricity at a cost of Rs13.61 per unit. Hence, the power utility is getting Rs24 per unit of cheaper electricity from the producer. KE officials informed the chairman that to reduce production costs, the power distributor plans to increase the production of renewable energy and gas. The chairman mentioned that the government currently subsidizes Rs15 per unit. “KE must inform the regulator on its measures to increase cheaper production,” stated Faro...

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto said that his purpose for visiting the US was to help the flood victims in Pakistan. He also vowed that they would require a lot of work for the flood victims. "At this critical time, the demand for snap polls is like playing with the lives of the flood victims," he said, addressing a press conference in Washington on Thursday. He said the United Nations Secretary-General put the flood issue on top of the agenda during the UN session. He expressed gratitude to the world community for the help they offered to Pakistan for the flood victims. The minister said, "We have not reached the stage of reconstruction and rebuilding. We are still in the phase of relief and rescue." "You must have witnessed improvement in the country's foreign affairs during the six months of our government. Also, you must witness a clear difference between today's Pakistan and what it was six months ago," Bilawal noted. Bilawal said Pakis...

In the interbank market during the intraday trade, the dollar's value declines by 1.12 to 231 per rupee. The rupee gained in value Thursday for the fifth consecutive trading session against the dollar after a change of leadership at the Ministry of Finance and a warning from Ishaq Dar to the speculators playing with the local currency. In the interbank market during the intraday trade, the dollar's value declined by 1.12 to 231 per rupee, down from the previous session's close of 232.12. via Original Source

Spokesperson for government of Balochistan, Farah Azim Shah says provincial government is utilizing all available resources to rescue people affected by recent monsoon rains and floods. Visiting Provincial Disaster Management Authority office in Quetta, she said performance of Pak Army, PDMA, and Frontier Corps Balochistan remained outstanding in rescuing people during monsoon rains in the province. On this occasion, Director General PDMA apprised the spokesperson about damages caused by floods in the province. via Original Source

Pakistani wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan registered another record as he became the first player to score the most runs in a bilateral T20I series. After another nail-biting match, Pakistan on Wednesday snatched victory from the jaws of England as the Green Shirts beat the English side by six runs in the fifth T20I of seven-match series. As usual, the stylish Rizwan continued the streak of his brilliant performance as he scored another 63 off 46 balls. And with his half-century, Rizwan has become the world’s first batter to have scored the most runs in bilateral T20I series. So far, Rizwan has scored 315 runs in five matches of the seven-match series against England, and he has yet to play the remaining two matches. Earlier, Pakistan captain Babar Azam made this record in 2021 against South Africa after scoring 210 runs in four innings. Rizwan has also broken the record of Serbia's Leslie Dunbar, who had made 284 runs against Bulgaria in four innings. via Original ...

Pakistan thump England by five runs in the fifth T20I at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. Debutant Aamer Jamal was handed the responsibility to defend 15 in the last over and he did so against the dangerous Moeen Ali. Resultantly, the hosts have taken a 3-2 lead in the seven-match series. In the first innings, England fast bowler Mark Wood's express pace helped the tourists bowl out Pakistan for a below-par 145 in the fifth T20 international in Lahore on Wednesday. Wood — playing only his second international since undergoing elbow surgery — took 3-20 after the home team were sent in to bat at Gaddafi Stadium. Wood's fellow pacers Sam Curran (2-23) and David Willey (2-23) also bowled with hostility as Pakistan were dismissed in 19 overs. via Original Source

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his key aide became the center of attention on Wednesday after audio recordings purportedly of his conversation surfaced on social media. In the alleged audio conversation, Imran Khan and his principal secretary Azam Khan could be heard discussing the US cipher, which the PTI chief claimed led to the ouster of the previous government. In the around one and half-minute-long audio clip, a voice said to be that of PTI chief, can be heard saying “We just have to play with it, by hiding the date and without naming US”. The other man, who is believed to be then principal secretary Azam Khan, stressed holding a meeting on the issue. Azam Khan then advised Imran Khan to craft a new dimension to the party’s narrative about foreign hands toppling the government. The former principal secretary to PM also advised defiant politician to talk to the then Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and the foreign secretary on the matter. The ousted premier then e...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday defended military sales to Pakistan after withering criticism from growing US partner India, which considers itself the target of Islamabad’s F-16 planes. Blinken met in the US capital with India’s foreign minister a day after separate talks with his counterpart from Pakistan. The top US diplomat defended a $450 million F-16 deal for Pakistan approved earlier in September, saying the package was for the maintenance of Pakistan’s existing fleet. “These are not new planes, new systems, new weapons. It’s sustaining what they have,” Blinken told a news conference with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. “Pakistan’s program bolsters its capability to deal with terrorist threats emanating from Pakistan or from the region. It’s in no one’s interests that those threats be able to go forward with impunity,” Blinken said. Jaishankar did not criticize Blinken in public. But on Sunday, speaking at a reception for the Indian commun...

In a major setback to Pakistan, key pacer Naseem Shah was ruled out of the first match in the city due to a high fever following a chest infection, Pakistan Cricket Board said Wednesday According to media reports, a PCB spokesperson said that the 19-year-old was taken to a hospital late on Tuesday due to his fever, however, he is now feeling better. He underwent different tests, including a dengue test, to ascertain the problem, during his stay in the hospital. The PCB spokesperson said Shah's inclusion in the other matches will depend on the results of his medical reports.   via Original Source

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator Ishaq Dar has taken oath as the finance minister of Pakistan. President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath of the office of federal finance minister to Dar. The oath-taking ceremony, which took place in the President House, was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers and others. His appointment as the finance minister came just two days after his return to Pakistan. via Original Source

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon on Friday cancelled registration of 18 co-operative housing societies after the court vacated the stay order over the matter. The deputy commissioner, who is also Registrar Cooperative Housing Societies had issued cancellation orders in July this year, but could not be implemented due to furnishing stay orders by the housing societies. According to Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) spokesman, the societies are: Wapda Employees Cooperative Housing Society, Veterans Cooperative, OGDC Officers Cooperative, Foreign Office Cooperative, Work No Ward Cooperative and Ministry of Commerce Cooperative Housing Society. Similarly, the registration of Pakistan Employees Cooperative, PAEC Employees Cooperative, PWD Employees Cooperative, National Police Foundation Cooperative, OGDC Employees Cooperative, Federal Shariat Court Employees Cooperative, Pakistan Professional Cooperative and Engineers Cooperative Housing Society, State Life Insurance Co...

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) informed a full bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Tuesday that it does not need the passport of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz which she had surrendered to the court for bail in a case. LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti headed the full bench also comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh. On September 14, the LHC issued notices to the federal government and the watchdog on a petition filed by the PML-N leader, seeking recovery of her passport. The PML-N leader had surrendered her passport after she had been granted post-arrest bail in Chaudhary Sugar Mills Limited (CSML) case in November 2019. During the course of the proceedings, the NAB apprised the court that it does not need Maryam Nawaz’s passport, adding that its position on her application is about the enforcement of fundamental rights. “The Supreme Court has said that no one can be deprived of constitutional rights even a criminal case is regi...

PML-N leader Ishaq Dar on Tuesday took oath as a senator during a swearing-in ceremony at the Senate after living five years in self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom. Dar had been successfully elected to the Senate from Punjab but had been out of the country since October 2017. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani administered the oath amid the ruckus created by the Opposition. PTI members tore the copies of the agenda of the meeting to register their protest and also surrounded the dais. The Senate chairman directed all members to maintain the decorum of the Upper House as Dar continued to receive felicitations from members of the coalition parties. The politician, who touched down in Pakistan with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday night, will swear in as the federal finance minister tomorrow (September 28) at 10am. President Arif Alvi will administer oath to Dar at Aiwan-e-Sadar. All arrangements for the oath-taking ceremony will be completed by tomorrow morning. “I have ret...

A local court in Islamabad discharged on Tuesday senior journalist Ayaz Amir from the murder case of his daughter-in-law Sarah Inam. As per media reports, Shahnawaz, Ayaz Amir's son, allegedly killed his wife Sarah at home after a row over a "family issue" on September 23. He was detained by the police from a farmhouse in Islamabad's Chak Shahzad area for being a suspect in his wife's murder and later confessed to killing her, saying he "thought" his spouse was having an affair. The couple was married for just three months. On Saturday, a trial court approved the arrest warrants of Ayaz Amir and his former wife Sameena Shah, as the two were nominated as suspects by Sarah's family. Amir was arrested while his former wife later acquired pre-arrest bail. In the police report registered following the murder, an additional clause of Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code was added at the request of Sarah's uncles Colonel (retd) Ikram and Zia-ur-...

A District and Sessions Court in Islamabad heard the case of violation of Article 144 against Imran Khan and other PTI leaders and extended their interim bail till October 13. As per details, the case in regards to the violation of Article 144 was heard in the court and PTI members including Saif Ullah Niazi, Sadaqat Ali, Fayyaz Chohan, Khurram Shehzad, and Faisal Javed appeared in the court. On behalf of PTI Chief Imran Khan, Babar Awan presented in court and maintained that Khan was unable to appear in court as he was in Lahore. However, the court grants an extension in the violation case till October 13.   via Original Source

In a tragic incident, unidentified men opened fire at the vehicle of a famous doctor and killed his three sons near the Railway Society area at the Joint Road in Quetta. According to the police, the medical practitioner identified as Dr. Nasir Achakzai, along with his family, was returning to his house after attending a marriage ceremony. When they were about to reach home, the culprits opened fire on their vehicle owing to which the doctor’s three sons—20-year-old Zaryan, 18-year-old Sadran, and another eight-year-old son—died on the spot. The suspects managed to flee the scene after the incident. Upon getting information, a heavy contingent of police reached the spot and shifted the deceased to Civil Hospital, Quetta. Police have also registered a case, while a search operation is underway. In the meantime, Balochistan Inspector General (IG) Abdul Khaliq Sheikh has taken notice of the incident and sought an immediate report from concerned authorities. via Original Source

The Pakistani rupee gained further ground as the US dollar continued its declining trend for the third consecutive session on Tuesday. The dollar lost Rs3.20 against the rupee on Tuesday and was trading at Rs234 in the interbank market during intraday trade as of 10:30am, after the local unit suffered consecutive losses during several sessions in the last trading week. The dollar has so far shed Rs5.15 in the interbank market, only two days into the trade week. The local currency on Friday, the last trading day of the outgoing week finally broke its losing streak against the dollar after continuously depreciating for 15 consecutive sessions. The rupee came close to reaching a record low of 240 against the dollar but was unable to do so after several positive cues despite deadly floods devastating Pakistan's economy.   via Original Source

President Dr Arif Alvi expressed concerns over leaked audio recordings of confidential conversations in the Prime Minister House, terming the release of personal information an immoral act that should be discouraged. Talking to the journalists at Governor House in Karachi on Monday, he said that privacy was a trust which must not be broken. Leaked private conversation or comments and spreading fake news was unethical. He said that such things may spread fear and panic in society. His comments came on a day when the government launched an investigation into the audio leaks while opposition leader, PTI Chairman warned that more leaks could come to the fore in the coming days. Dr Alvi further said social media can be used to spread knowledge and wisdom. Instead, it was being used to spread fake news. via Original Source

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday reserved its verdict on a case seeking to declare Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ishaq Dar’s Senate seat empty as the latter has not taken oath to his office. A bench of Election Commission heard the case on Monday. Lawyer Salman Aslam Butt appeared before the commission on behalf of Dar. During hearing, ECP Balochistan member observed that the government had issued an ordinance that stipulated that if a member did not take oath to his Senate seat within 60 days, his seat would be deemed empty. Lawyer Butt said that Dar’s notification regarding winning of Senate seat was issued on March 9 and it was suspended on 29th March, 2018. However, the success notification was restored again after the Supreme Court rejected the petition against the notification. The lawyer argued that the ordinance did not apply on Ishaq Dar as he could not take oath to his seat when his success notification was already suspended. The ECP Kh...

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed deep grief over the martyrdom of six Army officials, including two majors, in a helicopter crash. President Dr Arif Alvi paid tribute to the deceased for their service and prayed for higher ranks for all departed souls. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of six army officials, saying the entire nation was grieved over the loss of lives of the Army personnel. The premier prayed for the departed souls to rest in peace and for the grant of patience to the bereaved families. Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo too expressed sorrow over the crash. In his condolence statement, Mr Bizenjo said the entire nation pays rich tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during performing duties. Earlier in the day, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said all six personnel on board embraced martyrdom after a helicopter crashed near Khost in Harn...

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has met with US Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Dilawar Syed in Washington and discussed trade relations. Both the leaders discussed the flood situation in Pakistan and also exchanged views on promoting Pak-US trade relations. On this occasion, Foreign Minister Bilawal appreciated the assistance provided by America for Pakistan flood affectees. The foreign minister also met with corporate leaders, prominent business personalities, and other segments of the society at the Pakistan House in Washington. During his visit, the foreign minister will meet with members of Congress, senators, leading American think tanks, and American media organizations during the visit. Earlier, FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reached Washington on a four-day visit on Sunday night. Bilawal Bhutto is visiting Washington after attending the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. via Original Source

Two Pakistan Army majors were among six military personnel who were martyred when a helicopter crash occurred in Balochistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Monday. The unfortunate incident occurred during a flying mission near Harnai district's Khost city late last night, the military's media wing mentioned in its statement. The press statement read that among the six personnel were two pilots as well who lost their lives.   via Original Source

Pakistani rupee continued to stabilize for the second consecutive working day, as it made fresh recovery against the US dollar in the inter-bank market on Monday. According to details, the local currency appreciated by Rs2.15 against the greenback and was being traded around Rs237.5. The rupee had closed at Rs239.65 on Friday, according to Pakistan’s central bank data. With the latest day-to-day gain, the rupee has cumulatively recovered Rs2.22 in the past two working days. The bull has also returned to the Pakistan Stock Exchange as benchmark KSE-100 index gained 335 points and was being traded around 40,900 points. via Original Source

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, who is in London with a PML-N delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was heckled by overseas Pakistanis apparently supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at a roadside cafe. The short video clips of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed that a handful of the alleged PTI supporters surrounded the information minister while she was having a soft drink inside the cafe. In one of the videos, the unruly woman can be heard hurling abuses at Marriyum while others were recording her video with the minister staying calm and using her mobile phone. In another video, the information minister can be seen interacting with one of the women supporters. “This attitude is harmful to the image of Pakistan. You asked three questions from me and I have answered them all. This is a way of having a decent conversation,” the minister told the protester.   Thank to social media. Someone has sent me the clip where you can...

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that the conditions of the poor segments will get worse if the political tussle continues in the country. In a tweet, the former interior minister said that an example of relations with Israel and trade with India has come to light in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's leaked audio. He pointed out that the Sharif family is hiring engineers from India for its sugar mills without clearance. He said that instead of understanding the problems of the common man, the politicians are only playing on the media. Looking at the demands of the situation, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is also going on an election campaign, he added. He predicted that September would be an embarrassing month for them. The AML chief said that the economic conditions are so dire that even if no party gives the call, the people will be on the streets. There is hunger and poverty in people's homes, he added. The former interior minister stress...

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that 100 hours-long conversations of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have been put up for sale on the dark web for $3.5 million and criticised security agencies for overlooking the “sensitive” matter of audio leaks. Expressing shock over purported leaked audio clips of government officials, Fawad said, “Even the office of the prime minister of the nuclear-armed country is not safe.” Commenting on one of the leaked audio clips featuring a conversation between the premier and a government official, Fawad said the conversation showed that decisions were being made in London. “[In the audio clip] Maryam Nawaz is demanding Shahbaz Sharif to clear the way for her son-in-law's machinery import from India,” he remarked. Separately in a tweet, Fawad criticised the country’s security agencies, saying: “They would have cared about this sensitive matter if they had got time from political matters.” He also expressed surprise over the silence of the g...

Pakistan has reported no deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of confirmed positive cases has surged to 1,572,316. The nationwide tally of fatalities has remained at 30,612 on Sunday. According to the latest figures by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 47 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 across the country in the past 24 hours. Pakistan has conducted 12,369 tests in the past 24 hours while the COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 0.38 percent. Meanwhile, 73 patients were in critical condition. via Original Source

The federal government has overcome its reluctance to President Arif Alvi’s address to the joint sitting of parliament and agreed send him an official request in this regard. Sources said the reservations of National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf have also been removed. The president, who belonged to the PTI, has been formally invited to address the joint session of parliament. According to the sources, the federal government, coalition parties and the speaker’s office had held a lengthy discussion on the matter. They came to the conclusion that the president’s address to the joint session was essential for the new parliamentary year. The government was earlier considering other options apart from the president’s address, the sources added. The federal coalition government was suspicious of the president’s use of words in a political context. The sources said the government was considering giving the president a written speech to read. However, the president desired a unique add...

Two security forces personnel embraced shahadat in an Improvised Explosive Device explosion in Eesham area of North Waziristan. According to ISPR, the locally made IED blast took place in North Waziristan’s Eesham area, resulting in martyrdom of Naib Subedar Javed Iqbal and Naik Hussain Ahmad. The search operation to hunt the terrorists in the area is underway. Separately, security forces conducted an Intelligence Based Operation (IBO) over the suspected presence of a high-profile terrorist in the general area of Charbagh, Swat District. “During the encounter, the terrorist got killed,” ISPR said. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorist. The killed terrorist remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces. via Original Source

 PML-N leader Ishaq Dar will take charge as the finance minister on Tuesday and the current Finance Minister Miftah Ismail will continue to remain part of the government, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N decided during an important meeting here on Saturday. PM Shehbaz is set to leave for Pakistan on Sunday and it’s not clear yet whether Dar will fly with the premier or later. The source said that Nawaz had not been happy with the economic policies of Miftah and had called for a change in the direction of economic policies. Nawaz, according to the source, is worried that the rise in prices of commodities had directly affected ordinary people which has impacted the support base of PML-N. Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that Dar will return to Pakistan next week. Dar, himself, had told media in an interview that he will take oath as a Senator immediately after his return. The former finance minister said that he would perform whatever duty is assigned...

Former Pakistani skipper and allrounder Mohammad Hafeez has performed Umrah with his family. In a social media post, Hafeez nicknamed 'the professor', shared pictures with his family at Islam’s holiest site. “Alham du Lillah blessed to perform Umrah with family. May Allah accept it Aameen. May Allah bless all Muslims to visit once in life to the most beautiful & blessed place on earth,” he wrote. While performing the Islamic pilgrimage, Hafeez and his son can be seen wearing Ahram, while his daughters donned Hijab. Hafeez announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this year, closing the chapter on an 18-year-long career. The star batter however will play domestic cricket for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022. via Original Source

The head coach of the Pakistan cricket team, Saqlain Mushtaq, stressed the need for every Pakistani to buck up as "Winning and losing is part of the game." "It is the system of nature that we win sometimes and lose also," said the head coach, addressing a press conference after the third T20I of the seven-match series. In response to a query about the middle order, he said, "This is the middle order of the Pakistani team. It is ours and we have to support it." Saqlain said, "By talking about the middle order so frequently, you are influencing our minds. By frequently referring to the middle order, you are undermining the players' confidence in this manner." He underscored the need for every Pakistani to repose trust in the skipper, coach and players. The head coach said Pakistan triumphed yesterday, and they (England) made it today, so it shows the team will win whose plans work. He said the Pakistani team consists of the best availabl...

Karachi Police Thursday arrested a man for harassing Seda Nur, a female Turkish vlogger, who is currently in Pakistan to show the brighter side of the country in her videos. The arrest came after Nur posted a video, in which she explained how she encountered an incident of harassment in Karachi's Saddar area, which went viral on social media recently. In the video, Nur attached the bits from her vlog in which a man wearing a blue t-shirt was constantly seen walking behind her on the roadside in a market in Saddar. The vlog was cut where another clip started which Nur apparently recorded later to expose the "harasser". The vlogger said that a man kept following her while she recorded a video for her vlog and even "touched" her when he got a chance. "So as you could see this weird man in blue who started following me and every time I was stopping, he was passing me and waiting on a spot for me to pass him again so he can follow me again," Nur said....

The federal capital reported 85 new dengue cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 1891 this season. After the new cases, the total number of dengue cases in Islamabad has gone up to 1891, while five people have lost their lives due to the dengue virus, the DHO added. The federal capital on Friday reported 77 new dengue cases, while its neighbouring twin city Rawalpindi reported 97 in the last 24 hours. According to the data provided by District Health Officer (DHO), Islamabad, the capital, reported 77 cases, including 41 from rural and 36 from urban areas, in the last 24 hours.   via Original Source

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira appealed the countrymen to come forward and help the flood-stricken people across the country. He was addressing a function in Islamabad tonight. The Advisor said it is a taste case for the whole nation. Kaira said Pakistani nation has a golden history and it has been supporting their brothers and sisters during various natural calamities. via Original Source

Pakistan has reported one death in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of confirmed positive cases has surged to 1,572,269. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 30,612 on Saturday. According to the latest figures by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 67 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 across the country in the past 24 hours. Pakistan has conducted 16,791 tests in the past 24 hours while the COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 0.40 percent. Meanwhile, 75 patients were in critical condition. via Original Source

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met Nobel Laureate Malala Yousufzai on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Prime Minister lauded Malala's international advocacy work on social issues, particularly girls' education. The Prime Minister highlighted the damage and destruction caused by the recent climate-induced floods which had caused widespread loss of lives and livelihoods. The Prime Minister expressed his special concern on the effects of these unprecedented floods on educational infrastructure. Appreciating Malala's courage and dedication, the Prime Minister highlighted the Government's efforts in the areas of education, gender equality and increased learning opportunities for both male and female students in Pakistan. The Prime Minister also noted the Government's projects and schemes to prioritize and incentivize the education of girls in Pakistan and appreciated the partnership of Malala Fund with the Minis...

With debt obligations drawing to a close, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made an urgent appeal for relief in the repayment of debts from rich nations, reminding them that Pakistan is bearing the brunt of environmental damage caused by them to cater to their greed. In a conversation with Bloomberg TV, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan recently signed a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under “very tough” conditions, including taxes on petroleum and electricity. Seeking support for Pakistan, hit by catastrophic floods this monsoon while already reeling from a stressed economy, PM Shehbaz Sharif said: “Unless we get substantial relief how can the world expect from us to stand on our own feet? It is simply impossible,” he said."The world has to stand by us." Responding to a question about debt obligations, the premier said they have spoken to European leaders and other leaders "to help us, in the Paris Club, get a moratorium". As per PM Shehba...

US President Joe Biden has expressed the commitment to continue helping Islamabad in the wake of difficult humanitarian situation due to devastating floods in Pakistan. He expressed this resolve during his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in New York on Friday. The meeting was held at the reception of world leaders participating in 77th session of UNGA hosted by Joe Biden. The Prime Minister thanked the US President for his message to the international community to the flood affected people and to support Pakistan. He also thanked the people and the government of the United States for sending head of USAID to visit Pakistan and providing relief assistance. President Biden expressed grief with the affected families over loss of human lives and the devastation caused by floods in Pakistan. The Prime Minister thanked the US President for expressing grief and sympathy with the flood-affected people of Pakistan. via Original Source

With debt obligations drawing to a close, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made an urgent appeal for relief in the repayment of debts from rich nations, reminding them that Pakistan is bearing the brunt of environmental damage caused by them to cater to their greed. In a conversation with international media , PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan recently signed a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under “very tough” conditions, including taxes on petroleum and electricity. “Unless we get substantial relief how can the world expect from us to stand on our own feet? It is simply impossible,” he said."The world has to stand by us." Responding to a question about debt obligations, the premier said they have spoken to European leaders and other leaders "to help us, in the Paris Club, get a moratorium". As per PM Shehbaz Sharif, there is a “yawning gap” between what Pakistan is asking for and what is available, warning that the nation is facing the im...

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa reached Karachi on Friday and will visit the flood-affected areas of Badin, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). General Bajwa will also meet the troops conducting flood relief activities in Badin, added the military's media wing. Earlier, the COAS visited the flood-affected areas in Dadu district of Sindh which he referred to as the "most-affected" area. Talking to the media, the army chief said that he visited almost all areas that have been affected by floods across Pakistan including Othal, Naseerabad, Rajanpur, Swat, Larkana, Shahdadkot, and Khairpur. "While rescue work in most areas has almost been completed, we do send our helicopters and boats to rescue people from emergencies due to snake bites, injuries or illnesses," the army chief said. He added that Dadu city’s population was around 500,000, but it had currently increased to around 1 million as there was inundation i...

An accountability court on Friday suspended the arrest warrant against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar and dismissed orders for arrest upon his arrival in Pakistan. During his arguments, Misbah apprised the court of the reasons behind the issuance of the arrest warrant and pleaded that it be cancelled. To this, the judge asked the lawyer if Dar was ill or if there were other problems. The lawyer assured the court that the PML-N leader will appear before the court straight after landing at the airport. The judge then questioned where the prosecutor was, to which the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor informed the court that Prosecutor Afzal Qureshi had gone to perform Umrah. Subsequently, the accountability court suspended Dar's perpetual warrant till October 7 and adjourned the hearing. The court, while giving an opportunity to Ishaq Dar to surrender, also ordered that the PML-N leader not be arrested when he lands in Pakistan. Judge Bash...

Pakistan should suspend international debt repayments and restructure loans with creditors after recent floods added to the country's financial crisis, the Financial Times reported, citing a UN policy memo. The memorandum, which the UN Development Programme will share with Pakistan's government this week, states that the country's creditors should consider debt relief so that policymakers can prioritise financing its disaster response over loan repayment, the newspaper said. Pakistan has earlier estimated the damage at $30 billion, and both the government and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have blamed the flooding on climate change. The memo further proposed debt restructuring or swaps, where creditors would let go of repayments in exchange for Pakistan agreeing to invest in climate change-resilient infrastructure, FT said. Floods have affected 33 million Pakistanis, inflicted billions of dollars in damage, and killed over 1,500 people — creating concern that P...

The country’s economy suffered a loss of around Rs4.81 trillion because of the recent spell of torrential rains and the ensuing floods, according to the government’s preliminary estimates. Crops including fruits and vegetables were most affected because of the floods and rains, said officials of the national food security ministry. The floods devastated crops worth Rs364 billion in Sindh, Rs39 billion in Punjab, Rs61 billion in Balochistan and Rs16 billion in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The province that suffered the most because of the floods was Sindh, where crops and commodities worth Rs364 billion were destroyed. Similarly, Punjab suffered a loss of Rs39.89 billion in terms of farm products. According to the preliminary estimates, cotton, rice, maize, pulses, potatoes, tomatoes, sugarcane, wheat, chillies, tobacco, oil seeds, millets and garlic were among the vegetables damaged because of the floods. The fruits ravaged by the deluges included apples, grapes, pomegranates and melons...