Govt, PTI spar over foreign gifts
The sources also disclosed that the new government has also found details of some gifts received during the previous government, including a gold-plated weapon, missing from the list. 'Imran sold gifts in Dubai'Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he can confirm that his predecessor, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, took gifts from the Toshakhana and sold them in Dubai. The previous government on several occasions refused to provide details of foreign gifts received by then-PM Imran and approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to stop Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) from making the details of the gifts public. However, the former minister said he was not aware of the details of other gifts received by Imran. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb has accused former prime minister Imran Khan of selling gifts worth millions of rupees received from foreign governments.
Source:The Express Tribune
April 16, 2022 08:10 UTC
Govt jacks up power tariff by Rs4.8, maintains fuel prices
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on the other hand raised the power tariff by Rs4.8 per unit on account of fuel adjustment for the month of February. The government will be paying price of Rs60 billion to oil companies due to maintaining existing oil prices for month of April. PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbai also confirmed the development, saying that PM Shehbaz has decided to keep the petroleum prices unchanged. However, this decision of keeping oil prices unchanged had no legal cover as the previous government had not approved it. If the current government decides to keep oil prices unchanged from April 15-30, then it will have to give another Rs30 billion subsidy.
Source:The Express Tribune
April 16, 2022 05:13 UTC
ECP decides to hear foreign funding case against PTI on daily basis
Day after Islamabad High Court (IHC) was ordered to pronounce a verdict in 30 days, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday decided to hear the foreign funding case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on daily basis. It is pertinent to mention here that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to decide on the foreign funding case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) within 30 days. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court had announced the decision. In the judgment, the IHC also rejected the PTI’s request to stop giving the record of the foreign funding case to Akbar S Babar and to separate the disgruntled party leader from the proceedings of the prohibited funding case. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had challenged the ECP s decision to reject the petitions filed on January 25 and January 31, while the prohibited foreign funding case has been pending before the ECP since November 2014.
Source:The Nation
April 16, 2022 02:39 UTC
Pakistan and a way forward
There is a need however, to find common ground and work on a prosperous path forward. The only way to do this is to strengthen the federation, which gives full rights to all federating units—not just Punjab, but Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. Every other institution should be limited to the boundaries that are restricted according to the Constitution of Pakistan. Relations should be maintained according to national and vital interests of the public of Pakistan. Climate change awareness should be inculcated in the general public, because of the level of threat we face.
Source:The Nation
April 16, 2022 00:23 UTC
Shahzad Saleem posted as DG NAB Lahore
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officer Shahzad Saleem has been appointed as the anti-graft watchdog’s director-general for Lahore, a notification said Friday. The notification from the anti-corruption watchdog said that since Saleem has been posted to the office, ex-DG NAB Lahore Jamil Ahmed has been asked to report to NAB Headquarters. The role of the DG NAB Lahore is not new to Saleem as he was posted here from 2017 to 2021, and during his four years in office, according to sources, he made record recoveries. In NAB Lahore’s four-year performance report, according to sources, Saleem made direct recoveries worth Rs7billion and Rs77billion indirectly, while under him, NAB Lahore filed recovery references worth Rs60 billion. In 2021, when Saleem was transferred to the NAB HQ, he was posted as the director awareness and prevention division.
Source:The Nation
April 15, 2022 21:34 UTC
Seven kids die due to ‘mysterious disease’ in India
At least seven children, aged between two and 14, lost their lives to a “mysterious” disease after showing symptoms like fever and seizures in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district, India. Joint Director of Health Jageshwar Prasad said the causes of death are yet to be ascertained. “…they seem to be cases of acute viral disease. Prasad said that out of the seven children, three had tasted local flavoured ice. “Two others [are] also [suspected to have] had the same ice but nobody saw them eating.”“We are monitoring the situation.
Source:The Nation
April 15, 2022 21:11 UTC
Pakistan needs political stability
The widened concept of security of a nation state has categorised political stability as a mandatory factor for progress of the nation. Other elements of the widened concept of security; economic, military, social and climate hazards, can only succeed after political stability has been achieved. Our political system has the ability to resolve any crisis and enforce political stability through dialogue. However, to overcome external challenges and benefit from internal and external market markets and trends, political stability is foremost. Political stability is the responsibility of both the government as well opposition parties.
Source:The Nation
April 15, 2022 16:25 UTC
Remittances hit all-time high
The inflow of workers’ remittances soared beyond market expectations and hit an all-time high at $2.8 billion in March, extending much-needed support to foreign exchange reserves and the rupee value against the US dollar. Historical trends suggest that overseas Pakistani always send record high remittances during the month of Ramazan and before Eid holidays every year, according to experts. The inflows from UAE dropped 13% to $515 million during the month compared to $591 million in the corresponding month. Read February remittances reach $2.2bOn the other hand, they surged 19% from EU to $280 million compared to $236 million. Also read Remittances hit record high at $18b“The trend of inflows suggests Pakistan that has achieved growth.
Source:The Express Tribune
April 15, 2022 12:00 UTC
18 power plants ‘shut’ on technical grounds
The Power Division added that these power plants were closed because of faulty wiring or their belts were broken. The 18 power plants include Port Qasim, Guddu, Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu Power Company and Jamshoro. The seven power plants shut down because of the lack of fuel include Nandipur and Sahiwal, which generate electricity using cheap coal. It had held the shut power plants responsible for the problem. NEPRA has summoned the heads of power plants closed because of fuel shortage or technical glitches at its headquarters on Friday (today).
Source:The Express Tribune
April 15, 2022 11:41 UTC
Pakistan reports 123 COVID-19 cases, one death in 24 hours
Pakistan has reported one death in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has risen to 1,526,728. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 30,363 on Friday. According to the latest figures by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 123 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 across the country in the past 24 hours. Pakistan has conducted 24,239 tests in the past 24 hours out of which 123 persons were tested positive for the disease. The COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 0.50 percent.
Source:The Nation
April 15, 2022 06:50 UTC
Three DSPs sacked over corruption, abuse of power
LAHORE – Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rao Sardar Ali Khan has issued orders for dismissal of three deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) on the charges of abuse of power and corruption. The IGP dismissed DSP Saifullah Bhatti and DSP Ahmed Sajjad Cheema on corruption charges. DSP Saifullah Bhatti was currently posted in Chiniot while DSP Ahmed Sajjad Cheema was posted in Faisalabad. The IGP also dismissed DSP Ziarat Ali Khan for misusing his powers. Ziarat Ali is presently posted as DSP Traffic Police Headquarters.
Source:The Nation
April 15, 2022 04:57 UTC
GDB 75.0 Wrap Up: That’s how you bounce back, Oilers dominant in 4-0 win over the Predators
So when Draisaitl opened the scoring with a power play goal to punctuate what was a dominant period by the Oilers that saw them do basically everything right. If the boys could find a way to keep this drubbing going in the second period then maybe, just maybe it would be the start of the #NationVacation crew having something to celebrate for once. As expected, the Predators were much better throughout the middle frame but the Oilers did a fine job of managing the pushback without allowing too many grade-A chances. opened the scoring (1-0) with a power play goal from his favourite spot on the left-hand side after Nugent-Hopkins found him with a beautiful one-touch pass to his wheelhouse. BETTER LAIT THAN NEVERThe Oilers had an up-and-down week since my last podcast, and I walked through it all.
Source:The Nation
April 15, 2022 03:05 UTC
Retired officers to fill PPSC’s 10 vacant slots
LAHORE – At least 10 posts of Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) members are lying vacant which is actually hindering the performance of the commission—an apex body for recruitments in the public sector in Punjab, on Thursday. The PPSC’s performance to conduct interviews of candidates has been disturbed due to the slots lying vacant. The nine slots rose to 10 with the resignation of Mussarat Nawaz. The Punjab Services and General Administration (S&GA) has started working to appoint retired officers to fill the vacant posts.
Source:The Nation
April 15, 2022 01:57 UTC
PTI to challenge ECP's delimitation order, says Fawad
Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry announced on Thursday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) delimitation order. “The Election Commission is on a mission to make the election process controversial,” he added. On April 11, the ECP announced the delimitation schedule for the national and provincial assemblies for the next general elections. Read ECP seeks election plan from secretariesThe commission had decided to immediately start the delimitation exercise on the basis of the 2017 census and population statistics. Keeping in view the current scenario of the country, the ECP decided not to wait for the digital census which is yet to be decided and proceed with the delimitation exercise.
Source:The Express Tribune
April 15, 2022 01:17 UTC
A Deeply Shook Nation
The American political system is a structural representation of the US, distributed throughout 50 states, and territories. His statements claiming victory over something or the other is a weak spot for American society. Gerrymandering is the process by which a state or state legislature redraws the boundaries for congressional districts. Minority leader Kevin McCarthy from California, has at multiple times, extended his opposition to the idea of this extremist potential in American society. It is blamed for almost every occurrence, and most of the time, the occurrence denotes a negative outlook on American society.
Source:The Nation
April 14, 2022 22:53 UTC