Official documents showed that the World Bank cancelled an allocation of $188 million for Pakistan for the just-ended fiscal year. Last week, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail met with US Ambassador Donald Blome, seeking his help to unlock $950 million worth of funds from the World Bank. The minister requested the ambassador to convince the World Bank to approve two budget support loans. But the World Bank wants the District Collectorate valuation tables to be at least equal to 85% of the market values of these properties. In case, Pakistan fails to rationalise the property valuation rates, the country will permanently lose $147 million too, like it has already lost $188 million, the World Bank warned.

The present dollar crisis has but indicated how we (the political elite) have been living beyond the state’s means and how much the economy has been mismanaged by the elites of all major polit­ical parties. The political elite supported by ever pliant bureau­cracy also enjoyed perks and privileges at the state’s ex­pense. And to maintain their hegemony and keep their toadies happy, the political elite also indulged their grovelers with morsels of state money. Similarly, instead of industrialisation, the rent-oriented elite promoted the real-estate sector and used it for parking black money. Thus, we have a rent-oriented elite supported by a servile bureaucracy, which has the country in a stran­glehold, and resultantly the country is heading to­wards an economic meltdown.

According to hockeyviz.com, he contributed offence at a six percent rate above league average and defence at a seven percent rate above league average. According to hockeyviz.com, his finishing rates were four percent below league average while his setting rate was league average. Despite that, he provided offence at an eight percent rate above league average and defence at a seven percent rate above league average. He provided offence at a six percent rate above league average and defence at a four percent rate above league average. Subban provided offence at a five percent rate above league average and defence at a league average rate.

The Modi regime in gross violation of the United Nations resolutions and international law scrapped Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution that granted special autonomous status to Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. “Today marks the 3rd sombre anniversary of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 that aimed at changing the internationally recognised disputed status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and altering the demographic structure of the occupied territory,” he said. PM Shahbaz said the Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been a battle of hope against overwhelming odds, of courage against fear and of sacrifice against tyranny. Carrying banners, the participants chanted slogans in support of the Kashmiri people and against the Indian atrocities. He said every Pakistani is aware of its national responsibility and stands by its Kashmiri brothers and sisters.

Nation joined Kashmiris to observe Youm-e-Istehsal on FridayYoum-e-Istehsal was observed across the country on Friday, to mark the completion of third year of Indian military siege of the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and denounce India's illegal, immoral and unconstitutional step to strip the territory of its special status. Immediately after one minute silence, Radio Pakistan, PTV and other television channels played national anthems of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, rallies and protest demonstrations were held across the state to condemn India's illegal actions and atrocities against innocent Kashmiris. In Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, call for the observance of the Youm-e-Istehsal was given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. To condemn India’s illegal and unilateral steps in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the international community and Pakistan’s diplomatic missions abroad expressed solidarity with Kashmiris.

Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and all over the world are observing Youm-e-Istehsal today [Friday] to register their protest against Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government s illegal action taken on this day in 2019. The Modi regime in gross violation of the United Nations resolutions and international law scrapped Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution that granted special autonomous status to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and imposed military siege in the territory on 5th August 2019. All Parties Hurriyat Conference has called for complete shutdown today to mark it as a black day. Illegally detained APHC Chairman, Masarrat Aalam Butt, in a message from an Indian jail, said that August 5, 2019 is one of the blackest days in IIOJK. He said the purpose of observing the day as Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir is to sensitize the international community about New Delhi s brutal repression being carried out by its more than one million occupation troops in the territory.

The Pakistani nation will join the Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Azad Jammu and Kashmir and those across the world in observing Youm-e-Istehsal today (August 5) to denounce the Indian atrocities in the occupied state. The Foreign Office spokesperson said in a weekly press briefing on Thursday that during the day, the nation and Kashmiris would denounce Indian atrocities and express full support for the realization of the right to self-determination and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions. India had let loose a reign of terror and suppression, gross and widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, in an attempt to perpetuate its illegal and forcible occupation of IIOJK, he added. In an attempt to hide its atrocities, India, the serial violator of human rights, had employed censorship, and a crackdown on civil society, human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists, who were harassed and persecuted under the draconian laws, the spokesperson informed. We pay rich tributes to their struggle and sacrifices and assure them of Pakistan’s unambiguous, steadfast and all possible support for the realization of their right to self-determination.

HYDERABAD – A terror suspect was killed when a bomb went off prematurely near the office of Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner on Thursday, police sources said. The body of the alleged terrorist, who tried to plant the bomb, was also recovered and sent to a local hospital. The remote-controlled device exploded when the suspected terrorist was planting the bomb adjacent to the office of deputy commissioner of Jamshoro district on Thursday. The police sealed the crime scene after the in­cident and a team of Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) collected evidences. He told that the BDS re­covered a remote, 2 batteries, a NIC and some torn apart currency from the site.

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Thursday the ruling alliance after failing in all its attempts to control the “people of Pakistan” was now trying to steal the public mandate through the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He claimed that after realising that the government could not silence the people through intimidation they were now trying to control them through the ECP by manipulating the elections. “Funds from foreign countries or companies which can influence your policies is the foreign funding,” he added. He added that the ECP “wrongly” termed donations from expatriates as foreign funding. “The PTI is the first party in the country which collected money through political fundraising,” Imran said.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has announced that the government will submit a declaration to the Supreme Court in connection with the foreign funding verdict against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Also read: ‘Secret powers’ want to rig elections through ECP to control public: ImranThe federal minister added that the Ministry of Law had been given three days to come up with its observations on the declaration. Marriyum also announced that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will investigate the case in light of the verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “In the ECP verdict, the PTI has effectively declared a foreign-funded party,” she said and added that the cabinet was briefed about the matter under the Political Party Order of 2002. Also read: Govt mulls imposing ban on PTI after ECP verdict“The other matter in the case is about the fake oath-taking statement,” the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader added.

But the reality of imagined “control” was completely exposed during Wednesday’s sitting of the National Assembly. And we should feel extremely grateful to Noor Alam Khan for projecting it. Noor Alam is a relatively younger parliamentarian from Peshawar. Noor Alam continues to sit on the opposition benches these days and in this capacity also heads the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Through a lengthy speech in the House Wednesday, Noor Alam kept wailing and wailing to desperately plead to his legislator comrades that they should vigorously support him to reassert authority of the forum, parliament, otherwise presumed to be “sovereign to all” in this country.

The KSE 100-index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued with bullish trend on Thursday, gaining 356.50 points, a positive change of 0.87 percent, closing at 41,425.37 points against 41,068.87 points on the last working day. A total of 275,431,074 shares were traded during the day compared to the trade of 333,028,028 shares the previous day, whereas the price of shares stood at Rs.7.904 billion against Rs.10.016 billion on last trading day. As many as 343 companies transacted shares in the stock market, 212 of them recorded gain and 107 sustained losses, whereas the share price of 24 companies remained unchanged. Allahwasaya Tex witnessed a maximum increase of Rs.253.01 per share, closing at Rs.3,626.50 whereas the runner up was Premium Tex, the share prices of which climbed up by Rs.46.97 to Rs.671.87. Sanofi-Aventis witnessed maximum decrease of Rs.65 per share closing at Rs.1,270 followed by Colgate Palm, the share price of which declined by Rs47.99 to close at Rs2,390.01.

BIRMINGHAM – After a long wait, Pakistan won its first medal in the Commonwealth Games 2022 on Wednesday, when Shah Hussain Shah won a bronze medal in judo after defeating South African Thomas-Laszlo Breytenbach in Men’s -90 Kg event. Shah Hussain Shah played against Australia’s Harrison Cassar in the quarterfinals, and again he lost after an Ippon in the bronze-medal bout. The 20-year-old, son of Olympic bronze medalist boxer Hussain Shah, has also won two Gold medals for Pakistan in South Asian Games. Nasir Iqbal and Faiza Zafar secured a win in their Mixed Doubles squash event of the Commonwealth Games. England’s Jake Jarman claimed a fourth gold medal on the final day of gymnastics while compatriot Joe Fraser grabbed his third with victory in the parallel bars.

Meanwhile, the former ruling party has decided to constitute a four-member legal team to challenge the electoral body’s decision. On Tuesday, the election supervisor issued two pdf versions of the funding case judgment – first one comprising 68 pages – second one 70 pages. PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry was quick to take to Twitter, stating that the election supervisor had issued two judgments on the funding case. The PTI legal team will prepare an appeal on the ECP’s decision and seek party chairman Imran Khan’s approval. The case which had been filed by founding but disgruntled PTI member Akbar S Babar had been pending since November 14, 2014.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered round-the-clock monitoring of flood-affected areas and a status report every 48 hours on rescue and relief efforts, including disbursement of funds to the flood victims, and rehabilitation measures being taken in Balochistan. The premier has instructed relevant authorities to speed up the distribution of relief funds in Balochistan, especially in the areas of Bolan, Quetta, Zhob, Dakki, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Kech, Mastung, Harnai, Qila Saifullah and Sibbi. He has also directed to increase the pace of relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-affected areas of Sindh, K-P and Punjab. A report sent to the premier by the concerned authorities stated, “the arrangements of food, medical camps, and shelter have been made in the flood-hit areas of Balochistan”. “The relief activities have been increased in collaboration with the provincial government of Balochistan, while work is in progress in other provinces with the cooperation of the respective provincial governments.”