Loving father of Mary Frances, Anthony P. (Maureen), Kathleen (Michael) Gerhardstein and Clorinda Consola. Proud great-grandfather of Grace, Lindsey, Anthony, Reilly, Chet and Cassie. Dear brother of the late Antoinette (late Anthony) Bertucci, late Guidetta (late Salvatore) Parafati, late Joseph (late Nellie), late Catherine (late Joseph) Frasca, late Sam (late Emily), late Theresa (late Frank) Ferro, late infant Anthony, late Elizabeth (late Carl) Venezio, late Vito “Jack” (late Ann), late Rose (late Omer) Garrison and late Angie (late Vincent) Venezio. Funeral Saturday, 9:30 AM from the Vandenberg Funeral Home 19604 South Wolf Road Mokena, IL to St. Mary Church Mass 10:00 AM. Interment in St. Mary Cemetery, Mokena.

PML-N-led coalition government in the Centre now has 229 members in the NA. PHOTO: APPNational Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Thursday said the Parliament House was under threat, prompting the implementation of robust security measures. Shehryar Afridi, a member of the Sunni Ittehad Council, raised concerns about the extensive presence of police and security personnel within the house premises. He highlighted that the heightened security had been causing difficulties for members of parliament. In response, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq acknowledged the security concerns, stating, “Parliament House is facing a threat, which necessitated these security arrangements.”

ISLAMABAD - Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Pakistan Khazar Farhadov Thursday called on Federal Minister for Privatisation, Board of Investment and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan. Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan told that Pakistan wants to promote bilateral trade and business activities with all the countries of Central Asia for which practical efforts have already been initiated. Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan apprised Ambassador of Azerbaijani Khazar Farhadov about his recent visit to Central Asia and the trade agreements held at the Ten Shen Conference in Tajikistan. Ambassador of Azerbaijan Khazar Farhadov expressed his gratitude to Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan for offering promotion of bilateral cooperation and said that there is a large capacity for manpower from Pakistan in various fields of professional expertise for which steps would be welcomed. Khazar Farhadov reiterated his determination that Pakistan and Azerbaijan will increase bilateral cooperation in various fields and in this regard, the visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Pakistan will be a milestone.

PESHAWAR - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has lifted the ban on recruitment in government departments, following directives from Chief Minister Ali Amin Gundapur. A letter issued from the Chief Minister’s secretariat to the Chief Secretary instructed the removal of the ban on all types of recruitment across the province. Chief Minister Gundapur had initially imposed the ban on March 3, with exceptions for cases already undergoing processing at the Public Services Commission. Subsequently, an investigation into recruitments conducted during the caretaker government’s tenure in KP has been initiated. Upon assuming office, Chief Minister Gundapur requested a detailed report on all recruitments made between March 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024, directing concerned authorities to compile the information within a week.

Supreme Court Judges' Intriguing Conversation with ECP Lawyer During Reserved Seats CaseSupreme Court judges engaged in an interesting conversation with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) lawyer during the reserved seats case hearing.

Criticism of Mohsin Naqvi by Asad Qaiser and Zartaj Gul | PTI's Concerns in Punjab | Breaking NewsQaiser and Zartaj Gul openly criticized Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, raising serious questions about his actions and priorities.They demanded to know,"Where is the interior minister? Updated 19 hours ago

The cash-strapped government has raised new debt worth Rs908 billion by selling debt securities, including Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) and treasury bills (T-bills), to domestic commercial banks. This substantial borrowing through T-bills helped overcome the financing gap faced due to banks’ demands for higher rates of return on longer-tenure PIBs auctioned on Tuesday. The stable markup rate compared to the previous auction held two weeks ago allowed the authorities to secure higher financing. It raised another Rs221.9 billion through selling 12-month paper at a cut-off yield of 18.54%, down by 41 basis points from the previous auction. It raised another Rs13.90 billion against 10-year PIBs at 14.25%, reduced by five basis points from the previous auction.

Initially, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) proposed tightening the additional income tax law for banks to close a loophole that banks used to avoid the tax. The additional income tax was introduced in 2022 to encourage banks to lend to the industry instead of making safe loans to the government. However, the advance income tax, the super tax and the ADR additional income tax of up to 15% are three distinct taxes and any advance or full payment cannot be an alternative to the 15% tax. In the 2023 tax year, banks made a gross profit of Rs1.6 trillion and paid Rs960 billion in income tax. Under pressure from banks, the government suspended the additional tax for 2023, but it became effective again in January 2024.

Honorable judges’ remarks were less objective and more subjective. The demeanor of lordships throughout exhaustive court proceedings was less constitutional and more substitutional. Arguing lawyers were made to look like convicts while honorable judges restlessly pleaded the case for and against. Hooked on the court proceedings I felt that constitutional supremacy, rule of law, and balance of power were purely fictional concepts. However, it struck me as a regretful fall from grace for a few honorable judges.

ISLAMABAD - After almost 12 years, the federal cabinet has approved the payment of Rs 82 billion to Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) that was taken as a loan by Power Division. The ECC in 2020 approved the conversion of Rs82 billion OGDCL facility to public debt and an amount of Rs82 billion has been allocated in the federal budget for FY2023-24 for settlement of ensure principal portion of the subject facility. The payment of over-due principal is planned to be released to OGDCL till June, 2024 and consequently entire principal portion shall be settled. The markup amount shall be paid without any markup on markup by CPPA through PHL in 12 equal installments starting from July 2025. The source said that the federal cabinet has approved the payment of Rs 82 billion to OGDCL.

The shortcomings of previous military operations are being cited as reasons why another military campaign will not provide Pakistan with the essential security it needs. The last military operation was decided under the National Action Plan (NAP), but what we tend to forget is that NAP was not implemented in letter and spirit. In addition to a military offensive, military court trials and punishments, and the elimination of terrorists, NAP also sought to eradicate extremism from society. Hence, intolerance, religious compartmentalization, and religiously driven violence took root again, allowing groups like Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to flourish. Azm-e-Istehkam should not repeat the mistakes of previous military operations.

The Punjab government has approved the Act, Information Minister Azma Bukhari announced on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference in Lahore alongside Minister for Minorities Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, Azma stated that the Act would be effective immediately. Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Arora reiterated that protecting minority rights had been a cornerstone of Chief Minister Maryam's administration since day one. He confirmed the passage of the Act and mentioned that rules for the Hindu Marriage Act would soon follow. Showcasing CM Maryam's initiatives for minorities, Arora mentioned a special grant provided to 10,000 Christian families on Easter.

He can be reached at tayyarinam@hotmail.com and tweets @20_InamLast week we debunked certain myths surrounding Afghanistan, and more pertinently the IEA. Pashtuns in Pakistan would want to reunite with parent state of Afghanistan, hence the bogey of greater Pashtunistan. In the prevalent stable political construct, Pakistani Pashtuns look up to Islamabad, whereas Afghan Pashtuns throw their lot with Kabul. Hostile Afghanistan presents Pakistan with two-front war scenario, simultaneously with India and Afghanistan. In all three Indo-Pakistan wars, Afghanistan despite friendlier ties with India, never ever postured to take military advantage of the situation.

The HEC has been phasing out these two-year programmes in 2019, with an extended deadline set for June 30, 2022. Despite the clear directions, certain higher education institutions have continued to enrol students in these obsolete programmes. Consequently, the HEC has stated unequivocally that degrees awarded from these programmes after the specified deadlines will not be recognised or attested by the authority (HEC). The HEC clarified that institutions offering these programmes are not affiliated with the state educational system. This disaffiliation means that degrees from such programmes are not considered valid by the statutory body responsible for higher education in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday extended “another chance” for dialogue to PTI founder Imran Khan, terming it the “sole option” for the incarcerated former premier if he wants to ease his jail hardships. Speaking in the National Assembly, Sharif said, “If Imran Khan has problems in jail, so let's sit and talk.” The premier recalled proposing a compact economy in his first speech, only to have it rejected outright. Sharif extended an offer to discuss the economy again, questioning who is responsible for the current bitterness that has prevented even the simplest of gestures, like shaking hands. The prime minister recounted his own time in jail, sharing that he was denied leave when his mother passed away. Highlighting the distinction between the rights of undertrial and convicted prisoners, PM Shehbaz emphasised the need to avoid subjecting Imran Khan to similar mistreatment.