Crunch talks on stalled IMF programme today
During a speech, the prime minister had also claimed that the IMF managing director had contacted him. However, the IMF representative in Pakistan told The Express Tribune that the call was initiated at the request from Shehbaz. In his speech on Friday, the prime minister had also claimed that an IMF mission would come to Pakistan in two to three days. However, after Shehbaz’s speech, the finance ministry sources had said that no dates for the IMF review mission had been finalised yet. The prime minister had also said that Georgieva enquired whether or not China and Saudi Arabia were supporting Pakistan.
Source:The Express Tribune
January 08, 2023 22:07 UTC
Friendly countries won’t help if we ditch IMF: Sana
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan on Saturday said that the PTI commitments with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had sandwiched Pakistan between the devil and the deep blue sea. Sanaullah said that the PTI government first inked documents with the IMF and then backed out from its commitments which landed Pakistan into a very alarming situation. He said that some elements were intentionally creating uncertainty for their ulterior political motives. Their propaganda was practically double-edged sword as they wanted to create problems for the sitting government, in addition to pushing Pakistan towards bankruptcy. Without naming Imran Khan, the minister termed him an absolute liar and said, “He was blaming that I have murdered 20 people.
Source:The Express Tribune
January 08, 2023 09:23 UTC
IMF rejects Pakistan’s claim MD initiated telephone call
The PM had also claimed on Friday that the IMF mission would come to Pakistan in two to three days. The statement did not indicate that the 9th review mission will arrive in Pakistan in three days - a self-claimed deadline that will expire on Monday. After the PM’s speech, the finance ministry sources also said no dates for the IMF review mission had been finalised yet. The prime minister had also said that Georgieva inquired whether or not China and Saudi Arabia were supporting Pakistan. Following this, a statement by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanullah also confirmed that even foreign nations will not help without the IMF umbrella.
Source:The Express Tribune
January 08, 2023 09:21 UTC
Dar's bank accounts unfrozen, assets restored
An accountability court in Islamabad on Saturday ordered the restoration of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar's accounts and assets after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) withdrew its reference against him. Earlier, a Lahore bench of NAB issued a letter to restore the minister's assets. According to the written order issued by the accountability court, the 2017 order to confiscate the finance minister’s assets, including his house in Lahore, and freeze his bank accounts, was being withdrawn. During this period, he was declared a proclaimed offender and an accountability court also issued perpetual warrants against him on December 11, 2017. He appeared before the accountability court on September 28 in the assets reference, right after taking oath of office as federal minister.
Source:The Express Tribune
January 08, 2023 05:44 UTC
TTP chief says ‘open to guidance’ from Ulema on Jihad
Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, chief of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has said that his group is “open to guidance” from Pakistan’s religious scholars if they believe “the direction of our jihad” is wrong. “If you find any problem in the jihad that we waged [against this global infidel agenda], if you believe we have changed our direction, that we have gone astray, then you’re requested to guide us. We’re always ready to listen to your arguments happily,” the TTP chief said, calling his audience “our elders, our teachers, and our religious guides”. “We held talks with Pakistan’s government through the mediation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan for one year,” the TTP chief said before seeking to shift the blame for the “revenge and retaliatory attacks” of his group on the Pakistan government while insisting that they have yet not scrapped the truce. Amid the spurt in terrorist attacks, Pakistan has ratcheted up pressure on Kabul to take action against TTP’s safe havens on their soil, but the Taliban regime has been non-committal which has escalated tensions between the two neighbours.
Source:The Express Tribune
January 08, 2023 04:06 UTC
Iran executes two more men in connection with protests
PHOTO: AFPIran on Saturday executed two men for killing a paramilitary force member during unprecedented protests sparked by the death of a young woman in custody. Two men were put to death in December, sparking global outrage and new Western sanctions against Iran. The executions come in defiance of a campaign by international rights groups for the lives of the two men to be spared. The court of first instance had sentenced Karami and Hosseini to death in early December, Mizan said. IHR gave Karami's age as 22 Hossein was 39, according to another Norway-based rights group, Hengaw.
Source:The Express Tribune
January 08, 2023 03:48 UTC
Outlawed TTP and IS-K remain major actors of violence in Pakistan during 2022
In 2022, the number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan marked an in crease of 27 percent from the year before. The number of terrorist attacks in the country also continued to rise for the second consecutive year. Out of the total attacks, the banned TTP carried out 89 terrorist attacks in Pakistan in the year 2022. Out of the total terrorist attacks, as many as 169, or over 64 percent, occurred in KP. Same as in the previous year, eight terrorist attacks took place in Sindh province including six in Karachi and two in interior Sindh.
Source:The Nation
January 08, 2023 01:57 UTC
Pakistan to complete terms of IMF's programme, avers PM Shehbaz
Share:Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday he had told the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about the government’s resolve to complete the terms of IMF’s programme. On his Twitter handle, the prime minister said he had held a telephonic conversation with the IMF MD on Friday. On Friday, Managing Director International Monetary Fund Ms Kristalina Georgieva called Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over telephone and reiterated her commitment to help Pakistan in the difficult period. The prime minister thanked the managing director for her concern over the fallout of the floods and extended invitation to her to participate in the Climate Resilient Pakistan Conference at Geneva. The prime minister assured the official that Pakistan was committed to successfully completing the ongoing IMF programme and thanked her for her understanding and empathy of the challenges that Pakistan had been facing.
Source:The Nation
January 07, 2023 23:03 UTC
Fiorentina 2-1 Sassuolo: Match report and highlights
The teams observed a moment of silence for Gianluca Vialli and Ernesto Castano, who both passed in the past couple of days. First halfFiorentina were energetic to start, as usual, but didn’t create much, as usual, and Sassuolo grew into the match. Naturally, Fiorentina conceded moments later; this team hates having the lead more than any I’ve ever seen. It took referee Gianluca Manganiello awhile to point to the spot but point he did, and Domenico Berardi made no mistake. Il gol di Nico ⚽pic.twitter.com/EQKBdQdQYJ — SpaceViola Fiorentina (@SpaceViola_) January 7, 2023Sassuolo tried throwing numbers forward but Fiorentina never looked troubled.
Source:The Nation
January 07, 2023 17:15 UTC
PM in last-gasp bid to revive IMF talks
While speaking at the inauguration of Hazara Electric Supply Company (HAZECO) in Islamabad, the premier also confirmed a story of The Express Tribune that he had a telephonic conversation with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday. The premier’s direct intervention in the IMF programme talks suggests that the matters have slipped out of the hands of the finance ministry. The prime minister also disclosed that Georgieva inquired whether or not China and Saudi Arabia were supporting Pakistan. An official handout released by the PM’s Office after his speech read that the IMF managing director called premier Shehbaz on the phone. Sources said as a practice, in absence of the managing director, the first deputy MD of the IMF chaired the board's meetings.
Source:The Express Tribune
January 07, 2023 09:57 UTC
Country is in crisis: PBC tells PM
photo: REUTERSThe Pakistan Business Council (PBC), on Friday, urged the government to admit before the nation that the country is in a serious economic crisis, instead of denying the default risk to effectively plan, execute and get out of the tough situation. In addition, the country’s preeminent business advocacy group, comprising the top 100 foreign businesses across the country, recommended a $19 billion energy conservation plan and the adoption of austerity measures. PBC has strongly advised the resumption of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme and suggested the government urgently negotiate the restructuring of its foreign debt to buy time and undertake overdue economic reforms. The council shared a set of recommendations with the media, titled ‘Macro-economic Priorities/Primary Objectives: Secure Pakistan’s Solvency and Buy Time for Fundamental Reforms’. The PBC presented ideas to create a $19 billion positive impact on the external account and raise over Rs1 trillion for the fiscal account.
Source:The Express Tribune
January 07, 2023 08:53 UTC
Pakistan reports 24 coronavirus cases in 24 hours
Share:Pakistan has reported no death in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of confirmed positive cases surged to 1,575,935. The nationwide tally of fatalities stood at 30,638 on Saturday. According to the latest figures issued by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 24 people were tested positive for Covid across the country in the past 24 hours. Pakistan has conducted 4,472 tests in the past 24 hours, out of which 24 people were tested positive. The Covid positivity ratio was recorded at 0.54 per cent.
Source:The Nation
January 07, 2023 07:09 UTC