Pakistan News World

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has severely criticized PTI Chairman Imran Khan for openly asking the institutions to interfere in politics by ousting a democratically elected government. In a news statement, she said Imran Khan should explain to whom he is threatening while delivering speeches on the container during his long march toward Islamabad. The Information Minister said the PTI’s long march has received a lukewarm response from public and Imran Khan should realize that some two thousand people do not represent the entire nation of 220 million.   via Original Source

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed for building strong business to business partnership between Pakistan and China to further expand bilateral relationship and augment China-Pakistan Economic Corridor's dividends. Addressing the first meeting of Pakistan China Business and Investment Forum in Islamabad on Monday, he said we need to double our efforts to connect with the Chinese business houses and create an enabling environment to attract Chinese investments. The Prime Minister was confident that his visit to China and his meetings with the Chinese leadership there will be helpful in accomplishing these targets as well as promote our strategic and cultural relations. The Prime Minister said he strongly believes that the CPEC has been a game changer in building our business relations and so far billions of dollars of investment has already been committed by the Chinese Companies. He recalled that Pakistan was able to address the issue of load shedding due to the energy ...

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has said PTI Chairman Imran Khan has accepted the bloody nature of his long march. Responding to a tweet of the PTI Chairman, in a statement on Monday, she said the 'bloodshed on ballot' is a proof of bringing revolution through guns. She said there has been no revolution over the last six months but the people have seen the corruption of Imran Khan including in the foreign funding and Toshakhana cases as well as campaign against the martyrs. فارن فنڈڈ فتنہ نے انقلاب نہیں اپنے #خونی_مارچ_نامنظور کا اعتراف کر لیا ہے 'بیلٹ' پر 'بلڈ شیڈ ' بندوقوں' سے انقلاب لانے کا ثبوت ہے۔6 ماہ سے انقلاب نہیں،عوام نے فارن فنڈد فتنہ توشہ خانہ ڈکیتیاں بشرا بی بی کے ہیرے,زمین کے ٹکڑوں پر ملکی مفاد کے سودے,شہدا کے خلاف مہم دیکھی ہے https://t.co/mOKktpyOLd — Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) October 31, 2022 via Original Source

Seven members of a family were injured in gas leakage blast in Karachi’s Orangi. According to reports, a fire broke out in a house in Orangi Sector 11/5, as a result of which several people including women and children sustained burn injuries. They say that the injured persons have been shifted to the hospital. As soon as the incident was reported, the fire brigade staff reached the spot and controlled the fire. Fire brigade officials said that the cause of the fire is being determined. Residents of the area said that there were complaints of gas leakage in the houses for some time, they reportedly complained to the SSGC authorities for several times but they did not pay any attention.   via Original Source

After falling against the dollar for three consecutive sessions, the PKR reversed the trend on Monday. The local currency was being traded at Rs220.75 per dollar at 12pm, up Rs1.72 or 0.77 per cent, from Friday’s close of Rs222.47, according to the Forex Association of Pakistan. During the previous week, the rupee fell 0.73% against the US dollar but it was its reported shortage in the open market and the long-march announcement by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan that caused a bit of a stir among official circles. via Original Source

PTI Chairman Imran Khan is leading the long march toward Islamabad with the party and the government still at loggerheads. The third day of the march ended abruptly after the tragic death of a journalist covering the march. She fell down a container and lost her life. This is the PTI chair's second march towards Islamabad after he was ousted via a no-confidence motion earlier this year. Punjab Government Spokesperson Musarrat Cheema announced that fourth day of the PTI's march will resume from Kamoke. As the PTI's march enters its fourth day, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that after seeing the "revolution" happening in the country, the only question that remains is whether it will come through the "ballot box" or "bloodshed". Taking to Twitter, the PTI chairman shared visuals of the "sea of people" taking part in PTI's march along GT Road. The administration of the federal capital has decided to fully secure all non-traditi...

Female journalist Sadaf Naeem has been laid to rest after offering funeral prayers in Lahore’s Icchra area in the wee hours of Monday. As per details, a large number of journalists, family members of the deceased journalist and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Omar Sarfraz Cheema attended the funeral prayers. Later, the deceased journalist was laid to rest at the Miani Sahib Graveyard. On Sunday, a female reporter from a private news channel namely Sadaf Naeem died in a horrific accident during PTI’s long march. Channel 5 reporter Sadaf Naeem was crushed to death by a container after falling from another container.     via Original Source

After PTI Chairman Imran Khan's video interview wearing dark shades at night went viral on the internet, netizens remain curious to find out why the party chief is usually seen rocking sunglasses during non-sunny hours. اس لئے کہ سامنے بڑی لائٹس کی گاڑی ہے، اتنے گھنٹے کھڑے ہونا کوئ آسان نہیں، https://t.co/nqsYBn8oAe — Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) October 30, 2022 One such question was also posed by senior journalist Hamid Mir, who took to his Twitter to find out the reason. PTI's leader and former minister Fawad Chaudhry responded to the question by Mir, explaining the reason behind Khan's habit. Fawad, taking to Twitter, shared that Khan wore shades due to light sensitivity, as the vehicles carrying piercing lights were opposite him during the long march. "It's not easy standing for hours," he added in his tweet.   via Original Source

 Voting in the NA-45 Kurram by-elections has ended and the counting of votes has begun. PTI Chairman Imran Khan is one of the candidates from the constituency in this crucial contest. Polling began at 8am and continued till 5pm without any break. There are 16 candidates, including PTI chief Imran Khan, Jamil Khan of Jamiat Ulema e Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) and Sher Muhammad Khan of Jamaat Islami (JI), contesting the elections. A tough competition is expected between Imran Khan and PDM backed candidate Jamil Khan. There are 198,618 registered voters — 111,349 men and 87,269 women — in the constituency, according to the spokesman of the election commission. The voters will cast their votes at 143 polling stations — 119 of them have been declared very sensitive and 24 others sensitive, according to the spokesman. District Police Officer (DPO) Kurram, Arbab Shafiullah said that security arrangements had been completed for by-elections in NA-45 and transportation of election material ...

Pakistan bowlers, led by spinner Shadab Khan, helped them hammer the Netherlands by six wickets in Perth on Sunday for a first win at the Twenty20 World Cup to keep their faint hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive. Pakistan restricted the Dutch to 91-9, and then cruised to 95-4 with 37 balls to spare as Mohammad Rizwan made 49. But it was the bowlers set up victory for a side that lost their opener to India and then were shocked by Zimbabwe in Group 2. Shadab returned figures of 3-22 and pace bowler Mohammad Wasim took two wickets to set the tone for their team´s domination against a Dutch side who are out of the semi-final running after losing a third straight Super 12 match. Pakistan lost skipper Babar Azam, for four, in the second over of their chase when he was run out by a direct throw from Roelof van der Merwe. Rizwan attacked from the start, hitting five fours and putting on 37 with the returning Fakhar Zaman. Fast bowler Brandon Glover had Zaman caught behind for 20 ...

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram admitted in his autobiography Sultan: A Memoir that he became addicted to cocaine after retiring from international cricket. Additionally, Akram claimed that he began using cocaine as "a substitute for the adrenaline rush of competition" of playing cricket. The 56-year-old, who had 916 wickets in international play, hung up his boots in May 2003 after Pakistan did poorly in the 50-over World Cup. After retiring from the game, he went on to work as a coach and a commentator. "I liked to indulge myself; I liked to party. The culture of fame in south Asia is all-consuming, seductive, and corrupting. You can go to ten parties a night, and some do. And it took its toll on me. My devices turned into vices. Worst of all, I developed a cocaine dependence. It started innocuously enough when I was offered a line at a party in England; my use grew steadily more serious, to the point that I felt I needed it to function," as per extracts f...

Bangladesh managed to hold their nerve to clinch a thrilling three-run victory over Zimbabwe in their Super 12 game at the Gabba Sunday. Defending 150/7, Bangladesh restricted Zimbabwe to 147/8 to pick up their second win, move to second position in the Group 2 points table and in with a good chance to qualify for the semi-finals. The Tigers are only behind leaders India with maximum four points but a superior net run rate. Zimbabwe needed 16 runs in the last over and off-spinner Mosaddek Hossain conceded 12 runs in the end. via Original Source

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the government is taking effective measures for economic stability of the country. Talking to a group of Youtubers in Lahore on Sunday, he stressed the need to make sincere efforts for elimination of poverty and unemployment in the country. The Prime Minister said Pakistan can restore its lost prestige only through political and economic stability. He said the PTI leadership is once again bent upon vitiating the peaceful atmosphere by fanning politics of disruption through another long march and sit-in, but the government will not allow any anti-state activity. The Prime Minister said no patriotic Pakistani can tolerate the narrative of PTI Chairman Imran Khan against the state institutions, which has provided a chance to Indian media to mock Pakistan. He said our armed forces have presented unprecedented sacrifices for the country's defence and elimination of terrorism. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed hope that his upcoming vi...

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) restarts its direct weekly passenger flights on Beijing-Islamabad-Beijing route from on Sunday. Earlier, the Civil Aviation Administration of China had stopped flights of all international airlines including PIA to and from Beijing in wake of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures at the beginning of year 2020. PK-854 will depart from Islamabad International airport at 6.45am on Sunday morning and arrive at the Beijing Capital Airport at 14.55 pm local time. This flight will return to Islamabad later in the evening, official sources confirmed here on Friday. The national flag carrier will resume its direct flights between Islamabad and Beijing after a gap of over two and a half years. The last PIA flight was operated on this route on February 10, 2020. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) stopped flights of all international airlines including PIA to and from Beijing in wake of Covid 19 pandemic prevention and control ...

 Netherlands head coach Ryan Cook has said that Pakistan is a beatable team adding that playing close games against Pakistan earlier in the one-day internationals (ODI) super league has given his side confidence against Pakistanis. Pakistan will take on the Netherlands on Sunday at Perth Stadium in a must-win match as they’ve lost both their games against India and Zimbabwe. The Netherlands coach said ahead of the game that his side is confident of a good show against Pakistan. “I think every team wants to win the game that they play. But we've obviously seen that Pakistan team is beatable, so that's good to know,” he said when asked if he would be hoping to repeat what Zimbabwe did. “Obviously, playing them in the World Super League not so long ago in the Netherlands has given us a lot of confidence because we came quite close in those matches. Hoping to get over the line this time. It would be great,” he added. The coach said that Netherlands bowling attack is “firing ...

 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday formed a committee to review, assess, and deal with the situation related to PTI's long march. As media reports, the committee consists of 13 members from the federal cabinet. It will be headed by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah. As media report, that the committee has been formed to deal with the law and order situation, adding that if anyone wants to talk about the long march should talk to the committee. The committee reportedly includes Minister for Economic Affairs Ayaz Sadiq, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Adviser to the Prime Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Minister of Communications Asad Mehmood and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb. Earlier, Sanaullah had said during a Twitter Space session that the government has no right to prevent PTI from staging a protest "if Imran Niazi wants to do it in a peaceful manner". However, the...

Glenn Phillips slammed his second T20I hundred when he reached the three-figure mark against Sri Lanka in a Super 12 2022 T20 World Cup match in Sydney on Saturday. Phillips, who should have been out for 12 off 15 in the sixth over, brought up the landmark with a four off Maheesh Theekshana, in just 61 balls. Phillips was eventually caught for a 64-ball 104. He joins former Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum as the only two New Zealanders to hit a T20 World Cup hundred. McCullum hit a 58-ball 123 against Bangladesh in 2012. This is now the second T20I hundred of this World Cup, after Rilee Rossouw smashed the first hundred of this year’s Men’s T20 World Cup as South Africa completed a statement 104-run win over Bangladesh in Sydney. Phillips had stolen the limelight in New Zealand’s campaign opener against Australia, albeit in the field, when he leaped off his feet, got horizontal with the ground, and pulled off a stunning catch to get rid of Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis. ...

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has said there is no room for negotiations with the anarchists. In a statement on Saturday, she said the PTI Chairman cannot hide his reality by taking to the streets as his face and lies stand exposed. The Information Minister said PTI Chairman Imran Khan does not want transparent elections but chaos, unrest, bodies and blood. She said Imran Khan is an absconder in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's defamation case of ten billion rupees over the last five years. The Information Minister strongly criticized Imran Khan for announcing to file a defamation case against the Chief Election Commissioner. She said Imran Khan is doing so because the Chief Election Commissioner has caught him red handed in different cases including Toshakhana, secret accounts and money laundering. via Original Source

In the context of audio leaks on the alleged cipher and the decision of the cabinet sub-committee, the ongoing investigation in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been accelerated and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also been summoned. According to media reports, on the orders of the Ministry of Interior, the FIA director general formed a five-member inquiry team headed by FIA Islamabad Zone Director Rana Abdul Jabbar on October 5 to investigate the cipher and audio leaks. The committee also includes FIA Cyber Crime Islamabad additional director and Counter-Terrorism Wing deputy director, among others. Similarly, one BS-19 officer from three intelligence agencies was also included in the inquiry team. The inquiry team is engaged in fast-tracking the investigation. The FIA also issued a summons notice to senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Qureshi on Friday. Qureshi has been asked to appear before the inquiry team at FIA Counter-Terrorism Headqua...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that the Pakistani government is trying to restore its relations with the United States as he questioned his predecessor's move to damage relations with Washington. PM Shehbaz's comments came while addressing the passing out parade ceremony of the 48th Specialised Training Programme of the Police Service of Pakistan at the National Police Academy. At the start of his speech, the premier appreciated the role played by the police in ending terrorism, saying that their sacrifices will not go in vain. "The daughters of this nation are moving forward in every field and playing an important part in Pakistan's development," he stated. PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan has sons and daughters who fight for the nation by risking their lives. He said that they should be trained with modern technology. He called the Counter-Terrorism Department and Punjab Science Agency as role model departments, adding they needed to be replicat...

A seemingly heartbroken Ahmed Jawad tendered his resignation on Friday as Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Digital Media citing disappointment that justice was unlikely to be served in the murder case of senior journalist Arshad Sharif. His resignation comes on the day the PTI launched its long march on the federal capital, demanding early elections amid raging legal battles with the ruling elite, stoking the political turmoil in the country. "The investigation into Arshad Sharif's slaying will also end like Liaquat Ali Khan's and Benazir Bhutto's assassination cases," Jawad said in his resignation and added, "Preparation is underway to shroud another truth for burial and commissions are formed here for that matter". Jawad said he was quitting politics responding to the voice of his conscience that too before Arshad Sharif's burial shroud's started getting soiled. He also advised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that being a good man the prem...

With PTI's long march yet to start and day after DGS ISI and ISPR's press conference, the party's Punjab Assembly lawmaker Khurram Sohail Khan Laghari announced on Thursday that he will be leaving the Imran Khan-led party. We were shown "something else" but "something else" was seen practically, said the MPA. "It is possible that we might also resign from the assembly," said Laghari. He added that they are likely to resign from the Punjab Assembly in the next three to four days. Lahari expressed his concerns regarding the Punjab Assembly cabinet, saying that they should know the criteria for appointing a minister. Laghari contested in the 2018 general elections as an independent candidate. He later joined the PTI after the 2018 polls. The PTI MPA served as the special assistant to the chief minister during Usman Buzdar's tenure but he was removed from his position in 2020.   via Original Source

 While expressing its annoyance at the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab chief, Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday remarked that the institution has become a “political tool”. The remarks were passed by the LHC's Rawalpindi bench when it heard the case filed by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah against his arrest warrants issued by ACE Punjab. The director-general of ACE Punjab, Nadeem Sarwar, also appeared in court. “Your institution has become a political tool. One [DG] comes and forms a case, another (DG) comes and finishes that case,” observed the court. It also slammed the official for obtaining Sanaullah’s arrest warrants by making a false statement. “Tell the court if you wish to arrest Rana Sanaullah or not,” asked the court. At this, the DG said that his department is not interested in arrested the interior minister. Upon hearing this, the court sent Rana Sanaullah's case to a trial court, adding that the minister can file an application for acquittal unde...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the Zimbabwean president after Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan in an intriguing match of the ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup underway in Australia. PM Shehbaz's comment comes on the heels of a jibe by Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Damdudzo Mnangagwa who expressed delight over his country's win in a match versus Pakistan. We may not have the real Mr Bean, but we have real cricketing spirit .. and we Pakistanis have a funny habit of bouncing back :) Mr President: Congratulations. Your team played really well today. ? https://t.co/oKhzEvU972 — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) October 27, 2022 In a tweet today, Shehbaz said, "We may not have the real Mr Bean, but we have real cricketing spirit .. and we Pakistanis have a funny habit of bouncing back." The PM also offered the Zimbabwean president felicitation, saying, "Your team played really well today." Zimbabwe pulled off a stunning one-run upset by putting th...

Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has called on Chairman PTI Imran Khan and Salman Iqbal to become a part of the investigation and provide information voluntarily regarding the murder of Arshad Sharif. If the two do not appear before the commission, this leaves a lot to doubt, he said. The minister said it is the height of dishonesty that they are playing the victim card to keep their politics and media house intact. Khawaja Asif said a couple of days after Imran Khan claimed that slain journalist Arshad Sharif was killed in a "targeted attack." “No matter what anyone says, I know that Arshad Sharif became a victim of target killing,” Khan claimed while addressing a lawyer’s convention in Peshawar on October 25. Khawaja Asif said that if they opt not to appear before the competent authority probing the murder of Arshad Sharif, they are rightly being pinpointed. Sharif's body was brought to Islamabad in the early hours of Wednesday [October 26]. Members of his fa...

South Africa beat Bangladesh by 104 runs in the ICC Men's T-20 World Cup at Sydney. Batting first, South Africa scored 205 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in allotted twenty overs. In reply, Bangladesh were all out for one hundred and one runs in sixteen point three overs.   via Original Source

In an unprecedented move, the ISI chief made an appearance in today's press conference the first time in Pakistan's history. "I am aware that you are surprised by my presence," he said, adding that he had appeared for his institution and the officers who were sacrificing their lives. "As chief of this agency, I cannot remain silent when they are targeted for no reason." Lt Gen Anjum added. Lt Gen Anjum said the nation had given him the responsibility to take secrets to the grave. "But when needed and when necessary, I will bring those facts to light". Talking about the officers martyred in Lasbela, he said that they were mocked. Therefore, it is highly condemnable to speak without proof, he said, adding that words like "neutral and janwar" were meant to illustrate that the institution was indulging in sedition. He added that these words were also being used because the institution refused to bend to an "unconstitutional and ill...

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in their messages on Kashmir Black Day have reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering support to the Kashmiris' just struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination. In his message, the President Dr Arif Alvi reiterated Pakistan's call for an immediate reversal of Indian government’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019. Dr Arif Alvi urged international community to take practical steps to hold India accountable for its egregious human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The President also called upon the world community to play its part in facilitating a peaceful and just resolution of the long-standing dispute of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the relevant Security Council Resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan will always stand by the people of Kashmir, no matter, what the cost is and it w...

Rilee Rossouw hit the first hundred of the 2022 T20 World Cup on Thursday when he reached the three-figure mark, off 52 balls, against Bangladesh in Sydney. He is the first South African to score a T20 World Cup hundred. Rossouw now has the fourth-fastest hundred in a T20 World Cup. Brendon McCullum got it off 51 balls against Bangladesh in 2012 and is third on the list. Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest and second-fastest hundreds, off 47 (2016) and 50 (2007) balls, respectively. Rossouw’s second consecutive T20I hundred makes him only the second batter after France’s Gustav McKeon to achieve the feat in men’s T20Is. Rossouw had smashed his first T20I century as South Africa put up its fourth-highest total in the format, and India collapsed in its chase of 228 in the third and final T20I in Indore. Just days after becoming the youngest man to score a T20I century, France's opener McKeon rewrote records books by being the first batter to score back-to-back centurie...

South Africa's Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock shared in the highest-ever partnership in Twenty20 World Cup history. Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock shared in the highest-ever partnership in Twenty20 World Cup history Thursday, amassing 168 against Bangladesh at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. Rossouw blasted the first century of the 2022 event, only the 10th since the T20 tournament started in 2007, and De Kock made 63 as they surpassed the 166 that Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara made against the West Indies in 2010.   via Original Source

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar has urged the international community not to look away but solve the outstanding Kashmir dispute. Addressing an event in connection with Black Day at the foreign office in Islamabad on Thursday, she said we must not allow the next generation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir live under subjugation. She reminded that the United Nations had accepted the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people seventy five years back. The Minister of State said Kashmir runs in our blood and Pakistan will always stand by the Kashmiri people. She said our support and solidarity to Kashmiri people is abiding and we will not rest until we help the Kashmiri people secure their legitimate right to self-determination. She said Pakistan will continue to raise voice for their rights at the international forums. Hina Rabbani Khar highlighted in detail the Indian atrocities in the Illegally occupied Kashmir saying that there has bee...

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the federal government's request to immediately stop PTI chief Imran Khan's long march to Islamabad, with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial advising the government to hold talks with the former prime minister. The federal government filed a contempt of court plea against the PTI chairman in the Supreme Court over his long march to the federal capital. In its petition, the government said, "Imran Khan is making announcements to attack Islamabad", which it claimed was a violation of a court order. It urged the apex court to direct the PTI chief to ensure the implementation of its orders related to protests and sit-ins. A five-member bench, headed by CJP Bandial, comprising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Sayyed Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi heard the plea today. A day earlier, Khan said PTI will kick off its long march on October 28 (Friday) from Lahore. The former prime...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be making his first offical visit to China, on Premier Li Keqiang's invitation, on November 1, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday. According to a statement issued by FO Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar, the premier will be embarking on the two-day official visit to the neighbouring country, upon an invitation extended by the outgoing Chinese premier. It was further revealed that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will also be a part of the premier’s delegation. Several high-level talks are also expected between the two countries during the prime minister’s visit, while he is also scheduled to attend a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which the two leaders will discuss the regional situation and global development. Furthermore, during the visit, important memorandums of understanding (MoU) are also expected to be signed. PM Shehbaz's upcoming visit to China could create problems for Pakistan on the economic front as th...

The Islamabad District and Sessions Court reserved a verdict on the post-arrest bail application of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Saleh Muhammad on Wednesday. During the hearing, the investigation officer brought the record of the case and presented the arguments on the application while Babar Awan represented Saleh Muhammad as a legal counsel. After hearing the arguments from both parties, Civil Judge Inam reserved a decision on the application. The court adjourned the hearing till the production of the complete police record. On October 21, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police detained and booked PTI member national assembly Saleh Muhammad along with his two bodyguards on counts of terrorism for firing into the air outside the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Police said that the bodyguards were police officers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who used their service issue weapons.   via Original Source

Ireland earned another famous World Cup win over England with a rain-affected five-run victory over Jos Buttler's off-colour side in another absorbing T20 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Eleven years on from their three-wicket win over England at the 50-over World Cup in India, Ireland beat England in the T20 version after rain thwarted their opponents' stuttering run chase. Chasing 158, England were 105-5 after 14.3 overs, five runs below the DLS par score of 110, when the rain that had caused delays earlier in the game returned and did not relent in time for the match to resume. Moeen Ali (24no off 12) got himself going with three fours and a six after England had laboured to 29-3 in the powerplay and then 86-5 in the 14th over, but weather had the final say as Ireland earned a notable victory.   via Original Source

A policeman was martyred on Wednesday in a grenade attack over police station in Quetta. According to police, Dadhar police station was attacked with a grenade by unknown men. As a result, a cop got martyred, whose body has been moved to the Civil Hospital for medico-legal. The police further said the gate and the wall of the police station were partially damaged in the grenade attack.   via Original Source

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has approved an increase of Rs0.09 per unit in the power tariff on the account of fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for September. Accoding to notification the hike will be applied to the bills for the month of October. The increase in electricity price is expected to render an additional burden of Rs1.1 billion on the consumers. The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CCPA) had asked the power regulatory authority to approve an increase of 20 paisas per unit in the power tariff. Upon data analysis, NEPRA said only a charge of Rs0.09 per unit is justifiable. NEPRA has said that the hike will not apply to K-Electric, Lifeline, and electric vehicle charging stations.   via Original Source

Former Australia captain Tim Paine has accused South Africa of ball-tampering in the match that immediately followed the infamous 2018 Newlands Test which saw the Australian team engulfed in the 'Sandpapergate' scandal. Paine, who stepped down from the captaincy late last year and withdrew from cricket for nearly a year, made the comments in his autobiography, “The Price Paid,” which was released on Tuesday. Australia suspended former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft after Bancroft was caught on camera with a piece of sandpaper on the field during the Cape Town Test of the South Africa tour. However, Paine said he then saw South Africa ball-tampering in the next Test in Johannesburg. “Think about that. After everything that had happened in Cape Town, after all the headlines and bans and carry on,” the wicketkeeper wrote. “I was standing at the bowlers' end in the next Test when a shot came up on the screen of a South African player at mid-off ha...

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Tuesday termed it premature to form a commission on the murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya. The judge passed the remark as he resumed the hearing of a petition filed seeking the formation of a fact-finding commission into the journalist’s death. “Did anyone go to Arshad Sharif’s family? Do they need any assistance?” the court asked as the hearing resumed. Counsel for the petitioner Barrister Shoaib Razzaq informed the court that Sharif’s dead body is being brought to Pakistan. He added that the interior and foreign ministries were cooperating with the family. “Our appeal is that a judicial commission is formed to probe the murder,” said the lawyer. He also informed the court that the government had asked for the repatriation of Sharif from the UAE. At this, Justice Minallah told the counsel that he had come to court today just for this case. But, at this point, the deputy attorney general interjected and infor...

A policeman was martyred in an attack on a polio vaccination team in Balochistan’s Pishin District. According to the police, the incident took place in the Kali Tarata area of the district on Tuesday. The officer was killed when unidentified men opened fire at the vaccination team. The officer was identified as Muhammad Hashim. His body has been shifted to DHQ Hospital Pishin for the post-mortem. Polio vaccinators, however, remained unhurt in the attack. The police and the security forces have cordoned off the area and a search operation for the attackers has been initiated. On Monday, Pakistan launched a week-long anti-polio campaign in 83 districts of four provinces of the country.   via Original Source

In a tweet late Monday night, the family of the slain journalist said he will be laid to rest in the H-11 cemetery in Islamabad on Thursday. Arshad Sharif was shot to dead in Kenya Sunday night. The Kenyan police took responsibility, saying the anchorperson was shot down by Kenyan police in a “mistaken identity” case while he was travelling to Nairobi from the country’s Magadi town. Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said Sharif's body has been dispatched to Pakistan. As a result of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's conversation with the Kenyan President, legal processes were expedited. The minister said that Pakistani High Commissioner Saqlain Syeda personally inspected the process for several hours as Sharif's body was being sent to Pakistan. She stayed at the Nairobi airport for several hours until the body was sent to Pakistan, the PML-N leader said. Flight QR1342, carrying the coffin of Arshad Sharif, departed from Nairobi at 3:25 PST...

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced that Phil Simmons will be stepping down from his role as Head Coach of the West Indies Men’s team following the team’s exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup being played in Australia. His last assignment will be the upcoming two-Test series against Australia from 30 November to 12 December. Simmons was at the helm in 2016 when West Indies won their second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title defeating England at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Earlier this year he guided the team’s fortunes in their hard-fought 1-0 Test series win over England on home soil to capture the Richards-Botham Trophy and in June a Test series victory against Bangladesh in their last outing.   via Original Source

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Saudi Arabia on a two-day official visit to attend the Future Investment Initiative Summit, beginning in Riyadh on Tuesday. The Prime Minister is visiting the Kingdom at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. Earlier, on arrival at the airport, the Governor of Riyadh Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received the Prime Minister who was accompanied by a delegation comprising the federal ministers. During his stay in Riyadh, the Prime Minister will also hold consultations with Saudi Crown Prince to review the longstanding fraternal relations and further strengthen the multifaceted cooperation, especially in economic field.   via Original Source

The United States on Monday strongly condemned the murder of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya. The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price while briefing the newsmen in Washington said that we’re deeply saddened by the death of Arshad Sharif. He expressed condolences to Arshad’s family members and his loved ones, and to all those who knew him. US State Department spokesperson demanded full investigation by the Government of Kenya into Arshad Sharif’s death. He said that it’s not entirely clear that we know all the circumstances at this point regarding what led to his death, but we do urge a full investigation. Ned Price said that we fully believe in the protection of journalists and the right to freedom of expression and added that USAID has a number of programs to work with governments around the world to bolster those rights, to bolster independent media. He said that it’s clear through his work that Arshad Sharif was dedicated to the fundamental right of freedom ...

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar has tendered his resignation for ‘personal reasons’. Tarar has quit his office for personal reasons, sources said. In his resignation addressed to President Dr Arif Alvi on October 24, he said, "I have the great honour and privilege to serve my country as the federal minister for law and justice under the able leadership of Mian Mohammed Shehbaz Shareef." Before tendering his resignation, Nazeer Tarar had said in a tweet, "I am unhappy that a small group of people raised slogans against state institutions at the Asma Jahangir conference." He said that the individuals engaged in emotional sloganeering had forgotten about the struggles and sacrifices of state institutions and government measures. Everyone here wants Pakistan to be robust and vigorous, he added. After he expressed his heartfelt sorrow, it came to light that the federal minister had tendered his resignation.   via Original Source

Pakistan and Iran have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, culture and people-to-people contacts. This understanding came during a meeting between Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb and Iranian Culture Minister Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili in Istanbul. Speaking on the occasion, Marriyum Aurangzeb said Pakistan desires to promote its relations with Iran in the fields of film and drama. She said Iranian filmmakers can take benefit from incentives given by the government for the film industry in Pakistan. The Minister said government has abolished taxes on the film industry, culture and tourism sector in this year's budget. The Iranian Minister for Culture expressed commitment to further strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in the fields of information, art and culture.   via Original Source

The district and sessions court of Islamabad on Monday approved an interim bail of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan in the case pertaining to protests by his party activists following the ECP’s verdict resulting in ex-PM’s disqualification. At least seven cases have been registered against more than 1,900 suspects, including sen­ior leaders of the PTI, on various charges that also include terrorism, in connection with Saturday’s protests against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to disqualify former prime minister Imran Khan. The cases have been registered against the party leadership at the Secretariat, Industrial Area, Shahzad Town, Sihala, Sangjani, Khanna and Bhara Kahu police stations where the nominees have been charged with blocking roads, attacking police personnel and vandalizing. On Monday, Imran’s counsel Advocate Babar Awan filed an application with the court seeking pre-arrest bail. The petition was heard by additional session judge Za...

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected on Monday PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s petition challenging the order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana reference case. On Friday, the ECP disqualified the former premier in the Toshakhana reference, stating he had committed corrupt practices by making “false statements and submitting incorrect declaration”. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case, saying that Khan is not banned from contesting elections. Earlier, objections were raised by the registrar’s office on the PTI chair's plea. PTI’s counsel Barrister Ali Zafar presented his arguments before the court. During today's hearing, Justice Minallah asked about the objections to the petition. He was informed by Khan’s lawyer that one objection was on the biometric verification and the other was that a certified copy of ECP’s decision was not attached with the plea.   via Original Source

President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed deep grief and shock over the tragic death of journalist Arshad Sharif. In their separate statements, they commiserated with the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul. President Arif Alvi said Arshad Sharif's death is a great loss to journalism and Pakistan. Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb held telephonic conversation with the mother of Journalist Arshad Sharif and expressed deep grief and sorrow over the tragic death of her son. The Information Minister also apprised her of the information received so far from Nairobi about the incident. Marriyum Aurangzeb said we share the grief of the bereaved family. She said efforts are afoot to know the reasons behind the death of Arshad Sharif. She said details will be shared with the bereaved family about the death of Arshad Sharif as soon as these are received from the Kenyan government. She said we are in contact...

Senior Journalist and anchorperson Arshad Sharif has been shot dead in Kenya’s capital of Nairobi. Sharif’s wife Javeria Siddiqui took to Twitter and confirmed the tragic news, acknowledging that her husband was killed in Kenya. She also urged the media and the public not to share their family pictures, personal details, and Sharif’s last pictures from the hospital on social media. Local police have initiated a probe and are investigating the matter, the sources said. Sharif was previously associated with ARY News and had gone to Dubai after resigning from the channel. Before going to Kenya, he was spotted in London a few days back after arriving from Dubai. Following the news of Sharif's death, condolences started pouring in from across the country. I lost friend, husband and my favourite journalist @arsched today, as per police he was shot in Kenya. Respect our privacy and in the name of breaking pls don't share our family pics, personal details and his last pictur...