ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has submitted a cost reduction plan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to the sources, in the plan submitted by the Ministry of Finance to the IMF, it is stated that the federal government will reduce the expenses of more than 300 billion rupees in a year. Sources say that there will be a complete ban on buying new vehicles by the federal ministries, all posts in grades 1 to 16, which have been vacant for a year, will be eliminated. Sources say that the federal government will not fund the development projects of the provinces, the federal government will only provide resources for important and national development projects, infrastructure projects will be done under public-private partnership. Sources say that apart from defense and police, a voluntary pension scheme is also being considered for new recruits from the next financial year.

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast mainly hot and dry weather for most parts of the country during the next 24 hours. Very hot weather with windstorm-dust raising winds is likely in central and southern parts. However, partly cloudy weather with rain-windstorm/thunderstorm is expected at isolated places in upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. According to the synoptic situation, a shallow westerly wave was present over upper parts of the country and may persist during next 24 hours. During the last 24 hours, hot and dry weather prevailed in most parts of the country while very hot in southern/central parts.

KARACHI - The Pakistan Meteorological Department on Sunday predicted very hot and dry weather for most parts of the Sindh province during the next 24 hours. However, dust gusty winds/windstorm is also predicted in most districts of the province during afternoon. Mainly, very hot and dry weather is likely to prevail in the province.

It now seems impossible for Islamabad or Rawalpindi to run Azad Kashmir through a few puppets. Isn’t the bloodshed from Indian cannons on the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir enough? Out of approximately 4 million people of Azad Kashmir, 2 million do not even live in Azad Kashmir; they either reside abroad or in Pakistan. The demand of the 2 million is to provide the electricity produced from Mangla Dam, Neelum-Jhelum Project, or the waters of Azad Kashmir, which is about 4000 megawatts, at production cost to the people of Azad Kashmir, who need about 350-400 megawatts. The people of Azad Kashmir gave votes to Imran Khan in the last election and gave the PTI the mandate.

Israel has been pushing into the city that it says is the last bastion of Hamas forces. Netanyahu has said the operation in Rafah, where Israel believes that as much as a quarter of Hamas’ fighting forces are holed up, could be completed within weeks. The Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel that sparked the war killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. At least 35,386 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since Oct. 7, according to the enclave’s health ministry. On Saturday, Hamas also raised concerns about the pier, warned against any foreign military force in Gaza, but made no direct threats.

The contumacious and pertinacious style of politics by the PTI and its top-tier leadership has consistently earned a bad reputation. They have often driven wedges of differences and conflicts instead of uniting the nation through necessary reconciliation and mediation. This was evident during the presidential address by Asif Ali Zardari in parliament when PTI-backed SIC resorted to diatribes and mudslinging. It is aptly said, “don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” but the PTI has never learned from its past mistakes. After the despicable incidents of May 9, why is this party and its leadership being treated leniently instead of facing stern actions for their wrongdoings?

Pakistan’s veteran all-rounder and former skipper Shahid Afridi has finally reacted to Indian star batter Virat Kohli’s remarks on playing in Pakistan. I welcome Kohli, whether he comes to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) or with the Indian team,” Afridi said while speaking during a tape ball event in Karachi on Saturday. Afridi’s comments refer to Kohli’s remarks, while speaking to Pakistani mountaineer Shehroze Kashif, wherein he said that he hopes to visit Pakistan “soon”. Hopefully, we [will] visit Pakistan soon [as] everyone has started visiting now,” Kohli can be heard saying in the video. “We should’ve taken this as a positive message rather than creating a controversy around such a great player,” he said while referring to the coverage being given to the Indian batter in the Indian news media.

The chief of defence forces of Australia General Angus J. Campbell paid a visit to Army Chief Gen Asim Munir in Rawalpindi on Sunday. They engaged in discussions on matters of bilateral professional interest, with a particular focus on the global and regional security environment and cooperation between the two armed forces. Both parties expressed mutual desire to further expand military-to-military cooperation. The Australian chief of defence forces expressed his admiration for the high professional standards maintained by the Pakistan armed forces, their notable achievements in the fight against terrorism, and their continued efforts to promote regional peace and stability.

Is it possible to solve the Kashmir problem? Will Kashmir continue to burn, people will continue to die for years, and war will continue not only around Kashmir but also in the entire subcontinent? In this regard, the Kashmir problem is the oldest and most complex problem. The Kashmir movement is also a struggle for freedom, carried on by blood and life. Accepting people’s freedom and rights is the solution to the Kashmir problem.

The real interest rates have been artificially kept low in Pakistan over the years despite mega-inflation. In real terms, it hovered around 40 per cent. Additionally, a higher interest rate is a tool to encourage and increase savings, sustain the worth of national currency, control inflation and stabilise the economy by giving fair treatment to all segments of society. Hence, there is a need to keep the interest rate unchanged. S. ISRAR ALIKARACHI

By Rehan KhanISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP): The International Research Council for Religious Affairs (IRCRA) has announced the launch of the Azadi Fellowship Program, hosted at the Islamic Research Institute (IRI) of the International Islamic University in Islamabad (IIUI). The highly anticipated program commenced on May 17 and will run until May 25, 2024, spanning a total of nine days. Speaking to the media, IRCRA President Muhammad Israr Madani explained that the Azadi Fellowship Program is designed to engage over 20 community youth and faith leaders, university and madrasa graduates, teachers, writers, and scholars from across the nation. This year, he said the fellowship will focus on enhancing participants’ understanding of religious freedom, democracy, and civic engagement. “We are thrilled to inaugurate the Azadi Fellowship Program, as this initiative represents our commitment to promoting religious freedom and democratic values in Pakistan.

Pakistan informed the IMF that it wanted to replace the net metering policy with gross metering for rooftop solar panels aimed at discouraging their use, said the sources. Currently, the bidirectional meter calculates rooftop generation and the import of electricity from the national grid during night time. The Ministry of Energy viewed that due to less reliance on grid electricity, rooftop solar consumers were now slipping into the protected consumers’ category, paying very little for electricity. The lender also urged a review of the current captive power generation policy, in which industrialists get cheaper gas to produce in-house electricity. There is a possibility that captive gas may be discontinued from July to shift these industries to highly expensive grid electricity.

An attempt by France to enforce a new voting law in Caledonia is what has sparked the protests. The colonial mindset and ways are all alike across the world. Just because Baku has openly called out France’s colonisation of territories, the latter now links every freedom call to Baku. One where India, France, and the West (generally) support Armenia and even have military ties. We have to watch if the Kanaks can, after all these years, break away from the colonial shackles weaved around them.

Former Pakistan cricket team captain Shahid Afridi says that Virat Kohli has spoken well about coming to Pakistan, I expected the same from him. Shahid Afridi while speaking at a tap ball event in Karachi said that he welcomes Virat Kohli, whether he comes to PSL or joins the Indian team. Talking about the Pakistan team, Shahid Afridi said that Saeem Ayub is quite talented, hope the boy will perform, Pakistan needs a boy who can play 6 overs well in the beginning. It should be noted that the video of Pakistani mountaineer Shahruz Kashif’s conversation with Indian batsman Virat Kohli is going viral. In a conversation with Shahroz, Virat Kohli expressed his hope of coming to Pakistan and said that now the cricket teams are coming, we hope to come soon.

The country is in the grip of hot and dry weather with Lahore on Sunday becoming the second most polluted city in the world. Meanwhile, the weather in the provincial metropolis of Punjab will remain hot and dry on Sunday. Similarly, Quetta is also experiencing hot and dry weather. The Met Office forecast partly cloudy weather with chances of rain-windstorm and thunderstorm at isolated places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir. During the last 24 hours, hot and dry weather prevailed in most parts of the country, while very hot in southern and central parts.