Pakistan 'desperate' for Saudi loans to shore up economy: PM Imran
Premier Imran says Riyadh must explain Khashoggi's death to international communityISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday that the government is ‘desperate” for possible Saudi loans to shore up the economy. PM Imran told an interviewer before leaving for the kingdom that he is concerned at Khashoggi’s death but could not skip the conference owing to possible aid from Riyadh. He told the Middle East Eye in an interview that he could not pass up the invitation to meet Saudi leaders again. The prime minister has blamed the previous government’s policies for the ballooning current account deficit. “The Saudi government will have to come up with an answer… We wait for whatever the Saudi explanation is,” Premier Imran was quoted as saying.
Source:The Express Tribune
October 22, 2018 18:28 UTC
Zardari says democratic forces becoming weak
Former president Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that he sees democratic forces in the country becoming weaken since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government came to power. Speaking to the media after a meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman said his party has made efforts for the continuity of democracy in the country for the past 10 years and to prevent any incident from happening that could weaken democratic forces. Reiterating that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is incapable of handling the country’s affairs, the former president said he will discuss the issue with all political forces. VIDEO:“[I want to] move forward along with everyone else after devising a strategy for the future,” he said. When asked whether he will himself contact the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership to unite the opposition against government’s “incompetence”, Zardari suggested the communication will be done through the JUI-F chief.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 17:48 UTC
Pakistani women to be major beneficiary of CPEC, says Chinese envoy
Dr Sheeren Mazari says CPEC likely to give more employment opportunities to womenISLAMABAD: Chinese Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Mr Lijian Zhao on Monday said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would also help transform the lives of Pakistani women following the footsteps of Chinese women who had achieved multiple milestones decades ago. He further expressed confidence in CPEC, saying that it as a game changer for Pakistan, specially for the women of the country. He discussed the key aspects issues faced by women in Pakistan and how important a role CPEC could play in empowering women in the country. Dr Sheeren Mazari on this occasion also appreciated the efforts of PCI in producing the report on the “Role of Women in CPEC”. As many as 26,000 Pakistani students are studying in China and 22,000 Pakistani students are learning the Chinese language, it was said.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 16:40 UTC
Lt Col (r) Hassan Immad appointed PTV MD
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday appointed Lt Col (r) Hassan Immad Mohamedi as the managing director of Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC). “Lt Col (r) Hassan Immad Mohamedi, PTVC director is hereby assigned to look after the work of office of the managing director in addition to his own duties with immediate effect and till further orders,” stated a notification issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The appointment has been approved by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, the notification added.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 16:18 UTC
ATC adjourns PTV, parliament attack case hearing till Nov 8
ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday resuming the hearing of PTV and parliament attack case issued notices to the prosecution for further discussion on acquittal pleas by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leaders and adjourned the hearing till November 8. Islamabad’s ATC-II judge Shahrukh Arjumand listened to the case where the PTI leaders Ijaz Chaudhary, Saif Ullah, Asad Umer and others had filed acquittal pleas under section 265 of Criminal Procedure Code as they stated that they were not directly involved in such cases. The ATC is hearing two cases: an attack on the state television building and the Parliament House against PTI and PAT leaders. In August 2014, Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri took to streets in Islamabad against alleged rigging in 2013 general elections and Model Town sit-in. The PTI chief pleaded the court to transfer the cases to a civil court, however, the request was rejected on December 11, 2017, and the case was being trialled in ATC.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 16:07 UTC
PM against burdening consumers with power tariff hike, orders alternative solutions
According to insiders, the PM has instructed the Ministry of Finance to focus on tariff rationalisation, theft and line losses instead of burdening the existing customers. Finance Minister Asad Umar directed the power ministry to take remedial measures on the issues raised in the report. On October 16, the ECC had postponed the decision of electricity tariff hike for one week owing to the absence of the energy minister. at about Rs2.30 per unit, requiring an average Rs1.60 per unit hike in the power tariff. NEPRA calculated Rs3.90 per unit increase in power tariff and had suggested that after accounting for the existing subsidy allocation in the budget, government has to increase average power tariff by about Rs2 per unit.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 15:56 UTC
Govt decides to keep power tariff hike pending
The ECC would meet again on Wednesday to consider the above-mentioned plan and tariff rationalisation proposals. Earlier, it was expected that around 20 per cent increase in electricity price would be approved by the government. On October 16, the ECC had postponed the decision of electricity tariff hike for one week owing to the absence of the energy minister. at about Rs2.30 per unit, requiring an average Rs1.60 per unit hike in the power tariff. NEPRA calculated Rs3.90 per unit increase in power tariff and had suggested that after accounting for the existing subsidy allocation in the budget, government has to increase average power tariff by about Rs2 per unit.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 15:56 UTC
E-challans: No gender-based, road-wise records maintained so far
LAHORE: Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA) has failed to maintain the road-wise and gender-based data of traffic rules violators while generating a revenue worth more than Rs10 million through the 100,000 e-challans that it has served so far, Pakistan Today has learnt. However, sources informed Pakistan Today that the authority has not yet been able to gather proper information, such as the gender ratio of the drivers, due to which no stats of the male and female motorists violating the laws have been determined. “There are dozens of other traffic violations that should be taken seriously but so far PSCA is only focusing on red signal violations due to which the traffic system and management have not much changed. “It has been observed by the PSCA that it is 90% men and 10% women who violate the red signal. So far we do not have the data of the roads and car owners and we are working on it,” he said.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 15:20 UTC
Stop messing with 18th amendment, Murtaza Wahab warns fed govt
KARACHI: Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Information, Law and Anticorruption Barrister Murtaza Wahab said Monday that 1973 constitution was restored to its original shape through 18th Amendment, so issuing statements against the amendment is an attack on provincial autonomy. Responding to a statement of Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Wawda, the advisor said that unconstitutional amendment carried out in 1973 Constitution during dictators – Zia and Musharraf regimes – were removed through 18th Amendment. He said that doors have been closed for giving legal protection to Marshal laws in the country through this important amendment. He stated that the 18th Amendment is the foundation for the Federation of Pakistan. He said there will be dangerous consequences for the country in case the amendment is revoked.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 15:11 UTC
Iranian terrorist group claims responsibility for troops’ abduction near Pakistan border
TEHRAN: A terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the abduction of 12 Iranian security personnel near the border with Pakistan, Iran’s semi-official news agency ISNA reported on Monday. “The terrorist group Jaish al Adl [Army of Justice in Arabic] has posted two photos… claiming that those in it are the forces abducted” on October 16, ISNA said. Jaish al Adl, formed in 2012, is a successor to the extremist group Jundallah (Soldiers of God) which has carried out a spate of attacks on Iranian security forces in recent years in the southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan. The Iranians, including intelligence offices, were abducted near Lulakdan, a village 150km southeast of Zahedan, capital of Sistan-Balochistan. The pictures also show a haul of automatic weapons and sniper rifles, rocket launchers, machine-guns, grenades and ammunition, apparently seized from the Iranian forces.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 15:00 UTC
Sindh to produce another 200MW power soon, CM tells German investors
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday said that Sindh is the land of opportunities and the provincial government has created a one-window facility for investors at Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit. He said that Sindh has a vast wind corridor at Jhimpir and Gharo near Karachi. He added that the provincial government is working on solar energy for which the entire Sindh is available where solar panels could be installed for power generation. We are establishing a 50 MW solar power project with a model grid connectivity at Manjhand near Sehwan,” he said and added in such projects there were vast investment opportunities. Talking about coal energy, the chief minister said that the Sindh province has vast coal reserves and in their exploitation-in mining and power generation- the German experts had played their role.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 14:37 UTC
Govt’s inapt stance on Khashoggi affair regrettable: HRCP
LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in the wake of the details released concerning the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, allegedly at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, has regretted the failure of the Pakistani government to take an appropriate stand on the incident. In a statement issued here on Monday, HRCP Chairperson Dr Mehdi Hasan said that the commission also has “serious reservations about the prime minister’s decision to attend the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh tomorrow.”He said that this decision ignores the sentiments of a large number of people. “Even apart from the international outcry that has followed Mr Khashoggi’s murder, there is a moral principle at stake here: the value accorded to the right to dissent and to freedom of expression should not be undermined this easily by business interests,” the statement said. “Given that the Pakistani media itself has become increasingly vulnerable to undeclared curbs on press freedom, HRCP feels that the government should have taken a clearer stand on the Khashoggi affair,” Dr Hasan added. The HRCP chairperson said that to merely say that it is “appropriate to await the outcome of the investigation according to the response issued by the Foreign Office, underscores a worrying lack of concern not only for the constitutional principle of freedom of expression but also for the security of journalists.”
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 14:37 UTC
SHC takes notice of non-payment of dues to sugarcane growers
KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday took notice of non-payment to due to sugarcane growers and summoned Agriculture secretary next week. SHC judge Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar while hearing the application of sugarcane growers against non-payment of their dues by sugar mill owners expressed annoyance at the Cane commissioner and summoned the agriculture secretary on next hearing. Sugarcane growers told the court that they are being looted and exploited by the millers. Petitioners’ counsel said that despite the court orders, sugar mills are not paying due of the sugarcane growers. The court remarked that every time the cane commissioner brings the same reports, and his performance is not good.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 14:15 UTC
Sri Lanka seeks India’s help to tackle match-fixing
COLOMBO: India has offered to assist Sri Lanka with its inquiry into match-fixing in cricket and drafting laws to combat cheating in the game, a Sri Lankan cabinet minister said Monday. Sri Lanka’s Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could provide technical expertise in probing widespread allegations of corruption in cricket. The CBI named Ranatunga and his deputy Aravinda de Silva in a match-fixing investigation in 2000 but the pair were cleared of any wrongdoing. Sri Lanka promised to establish a special police unit to investigate match-fixing after a documentary aired in May alleged massive global corruption in cricket. Both men have been suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket pending an ICC investigation.
Source:Pakistan Today
October 22, 2018 13:41 UTC
Sindh govt gives Careem, Uber a week to get registered
The move comes days after a woman jumped out of a speeding cab registered with one of the ride-hailing services, later accusing the driver of harassment. “The government has no intention to ban Careem and Uber, but we want to regulate them,” Nasir had remarked. Later, a petition was also filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC), seeking direction to curb the “illegal operation” of Careem and Uber. The companies, Puri claimed, were violating provisions of the Sindh Motor Vehicle Tax Act, 1958, the Motor Vehicle Rules, 1959, and the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965, which specifically provide that no non-commercial vehicle could be used for commercial purposes. In April 2017, SHC asked the provincial authorities and the ride-hailing services to come up with a mechanism to regulate the vehicles.
Source:The Express Tribune
October 22, 2018 13:28 UTC