Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif has said that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will decide who will be the next Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab.
In a meeting with senior journalists in Lahore, Shahbaz Sharif said that if PML-N comes to power, it will reduce unemployment, inflation, and electricity prices on an emergency basis.
He said that Nawaz Sharif was overthrown by the former chief justice Saqib Nisar, adding that his party has never been pampered. “The credit goes to 13 parties for saving Pakistan from bankruptcy and restoring diplomatic relations.”
The former prime minister said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has poisoned society, and it is a big challenge to end this hatred in a couple of years.
He further said that Nawaz Sharif will decide who will be the next chief minister of Punjab.
He also said that Nawaz Sharif is of the firm opinion that Pakistan should be taken forward through consultation.
Sajal Aly and Saboor Aly, who started their careers in the entertainment industry at a young age, have achieved tremendous success in their respective fields. Recently, Sajal Aly celebrated her birthday after her sister Saboor planned a lovely surprise for her.
The birthday celebration took place during a dinner, where Saboor arranged a beautiful cake for Sajal. The joy and happiness on Sajal’s face during the celebration were evident. Here are some delightful moments captured from the surprise birthday celebration:
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to give NOC (No Objection Certificate) to four national cricketers for leagues.
According to Geo News, PCB has decided to issue NOC to four cricketers in the league including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan and Wasim Jr.
Sources said that T20 captain Shaheen Afridi has a contract with ILT20 while Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Wasim Jr. have contracts with Bangladesh Premier League.
Fakhar Zaman and Azam Khan are yet to get permission for the leagues, but national cricketers are being given permission for the leagues on a case-to-case basis. The cricketers included in the central contract are being allowed as per the terms of the contract.
The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has said that a plan C has been prepared for the upcoming general elections, set to take place on February 8, 2024.
While talking to the media in Adiala Jail, the former Prime Minister said that democracy is being trampled under the “London Plan”, pointing out that people affiliated with PTI are being picked up despite the start of the election campaign, stressing that women and children were imprisoned for the May 9 incidents.
The former prime minister said, “Our plan C is prepared. They will be shocked on February 8.”
On the question regarding PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat, Imran Khan called the lawyer emotional, but added that he is playing from the front.
“I told [former army chief Gen (r) Qamar Javed] Bajwa that free and fair election is the only solution,” he claimed.
He demanded that the jail trial in cipher case be shown live, saying, “I want the nation to know what is happening.”
After a thrilling game, India whitewashed Afghanistan by defeating them in the second super over of the third T20 match.
In the third T20 match played in Bengaluru, India batted first and scored 212 runs for losing four wickets in the allotted over. In response, the Afghan team also scored 212 runs for the loss of six wickets.
A super over was conducted to decide the match, in which the match was tied, India scored 16 runs for the loss of 1 wicket, and Afghanistan then tied the match.
However, in the second Super Over, India defeated Afghanistan.
In the second super over, India scored 11 runs for the loss of two wickets. In response, the Afghan team could only score one run after losing two wickets.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced today that it has successfully received the second installment of SDR 528 million, equivalent to $705.6 million, from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
This disbursement, slated to be reflected in SBP reserves for the week ending on January 19, 2024, marks a significant step in the ongoing financial collaboration between Pakistan and the IMF.
The latest disbursement brings the total disbursements under the stand-by arrangement (SBA) to a substantial $1.9 billion.
It is noteworthy that the remaining $1.1 billion is expected to be received after another comprehensive review scheduled for February 2024.
As of January 5, 2024, the State Bank of Pakistan’s total reserves stand at $8.15 billion, showcasing the positive impact of the financial support received through the IMF programme.
To recall, Pakistan secured a $3 billion SBA from the IMF towards the end of FY23, crucially preventing the nation from defaulting on its sovereign debt.
The disbursement of the IMF funds has been phased out over two installments, subject to meticulous reviews.
On January 11, 2024, Pakistan successfully completed the first review of the economic reform programme, a significant milestone in ensuring the country’s financial stability.
Following the board’s approval, the IMF highlighted that economic activity has stabilised, though acknowledging that the outlook remains challenging and is contingent on the implementation of sound policies.
Pakistan’s 9-month SBA aims to provide a robust policy anchor for addressing both domestic and external balances, serving as a framework for continued financial support from multilateral and bilateral partners.
This financial collaboration with the IMF is instrumental in navigating Pakistan through economic challenges, providing a solid foundation for sustained growth and stability in the region.
The country remains committed to implementing prudent economic policies as outlined in the reform programme, with the ongoing support of international partners.
In a significant operation conducted by the Pakistan Coast Guard, a staggering amount of narcotics, valued at over 8 billion rupees, was seized in the Pasni district of Balochistan.
As per Geo news, the spokesperson for the Pakistan Coast Guards said that more than 1700 kilograms of narcotics were confiscated from the mountainous region of Kulanch, a sub-tehsil of Pasni, Gwadar District.
The estimated international market value of the seized narcotics is approximately 29.28 million dollars, equivalent to over 8 billion rupees in Pakistani currency.
The government’s intensified nationwide anti-drug campaign continues to reap results, with the authorities seizing over 3,929 kilograms of narcotics and apprehending 26 suspects in just a week (December 31 to January 7).
According to official data, most of the seized drugs, 3,369kg, were confiscated from Balochistan, a province long considered a key drug trafficking hub.
Another 303kg were recovered from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), followed by 17kg from Gilgit-Baltistan, 18kg from Punjab, and 220kg from Sindh.
The breakdown of individual drug types reveals a significant quantity of heroin (412kg) and 2,956kg of hashish seized from Balochistan, while from KP, 295kg of hashish and 8kg of heroin were seized.
Additionally, 12kg of methamphetamine was confiscated in Punjab, 220kg of hashish in Sindh, and 12kg from Gilgit.
These successes build upon the progress achieved since the national anti-narcotics operation began on September 1, 2023. To date, a staggering 819,388kg of drugs have been recovered from across Pakistan, and 716 criminals have been apprehended.
In a surprising turn of events within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), party founding chief Imran Khan has reportedly instructed senior vice chairman Sher Afzal Marwat to suspend all political activities in Sindh.
Disagreements between Marwat and other party leaders, including Raoof Hasan and Barrister Hamid Khan, have escalated, leading to a temporary halt in political engagements.
The directive from Imran Khan came a day after Marwat initially announced the suspension of the election campaign in Sindh, citing an alleged “attack” by party leaders Raoof Hasan and Hamid Khan.
“Keeping in view the statements against me by sick-minded people like Hamid Khan and Rauf Hassan, I am calling off my campaign in Sindh,” said Marwat.
Keeping in view the statements against me by sick-minded people like Hamid Khan and Rauf Hassan, I am calling off my campaign in Sindh. Why these people are targeting me? Did I ever talk against them? I am so disheartened and feel so dejected. We were to hold concentions in…
However, conflicting statements emerged later after Marwat declared his intention to continue the polls campaign.
“Workers are right and I will continue campaigning for PTI in Sindh. I will not be distracted,” wrote Marwat.
Workers are right and I will continue campaigning for PTI in Sindh. I will not be distracted. At the same time I urge the PTI workers to deal all the satanic forces at your own. We have two events today, a public rally in Mehmud Abad and convention at Pehlawan Ghot Karachi.…
In a social media post, he expressed his determination to continue campaigning for PTI in Sindh, urging party activists to confront what he referred to as “satanic forces” independently.
The internal strife unfolded after Marwat launched the PTI’s election drive in Sindh but later called it off due to statements against him by party leaders.
The controversy intensified as Marwat accused President Arif Alvi of being a “wrong number” and alleged a conspiracy against the party.
In response, Hasan and Hamid disowned Marwat’s statements, asserting that he did not represent the party’s position and had no official post within PTI.
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, chairman of PTI, addressed the media, emphasizing the party’s commitment to democratic values and calling for unity among party members. Despite internal disagreements, he expressed confidence in Marwat’s candidacy for the upcoming elections from Lakki Marwat.
The ongoing disputes raise questions about Marwat’s purported meetings with Imran Khan in jail, with conflicting statements from PTI leaders.
While Hasan claimed no political leader was allowed to meet Imran, Gohar Ali Khan affirmed Marwat’s continued affiliation with the party.
As PTI works towards finalizing its candidate list for the February 8 elections, the internal conflicts underscore the challenges inherent in the democratic process. PTI members are urged to set aside personal differences for the party’s success in the upcoming polls.
Pakistan confirmed on Wednesday that Iran carried out an air strike on its territory that killed two children and injured three girls after Tehran launched attacks in Iraq and Syria against what it called “anti-Iranian terrorist groups”.
As of yet, Pakistan has expelled Iranian ambassador from Pakistan, and has suspended all high level visits in response.
Pakistan expels Iranian ambassador and recalls its own from Tehran plus suspends all high level visits to and from Iran. This was the only way to respond to Iranian aggression. Iran must know it cannot cross the red line with Pakistan. By not responding to Iran’s violation in…
Iran offered no immediate official comment but its state-run Nour News agency said the attack destroyed the Pakistan headquarters of the jihadist group Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice).
However, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency that, “Two key strongholds of the Jaysh al-Dhulm (Jaish al-Adl) terrorist group in Pakistan” were “specifically targeted and successfully demolished by a combination of missile and drone attacks”, cites Dawn.
Tasnim reported that the “focal point of this operation was the region known as Kouh-Sabz (green mountain)” in Balochistan.
Local authorities said they had also received information about such an attack but had no further details at the time of going to print. Reports from the area suggested that a missile hit a mosque, partially damaging it and injuring some people.
In its statement, the foreign office described the incident as an “illegal act”.
: PR NO. 1️⃣5️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣
Pakistan’s Strong Condemnation of the Unprovoked Violation of its Air Space
Formed in 2012, Jaish al-Adl is blacklisted by Iran as a terrorist group and has carried out several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years.
The strike came after Iran launched missile attacks on “spy headquarters” and “terrorist” targets in Syria, and in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.
The Iranian strikes add to multiple crises across the Middle East, with Israel waging a war against Hamas in Gaza and pro-Palestinian Huthi rebels in Yemen attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
Mannat Murad, the hit Pakistani drama aired on Har Pal Geo, concluded its journey with the final episode receiving widespread appreciation from fans. The last episode particularly stood out as Murad, portrayed by Talha Chahour, took a stand for his wife, earning admiration from viewers. Fans had eagerly waited for this moment, egging Murad on to speak up for his wife Mannat against his mother.
Viewers also praised Mannat’s decision to arrange a match between her elder brother and Murad’s sister, Fazeelat. The happiness of the couples brought joy to fans, but many expressed sadness for Murad’s youngest sister, Niggi, whose story was left in limbo.
While some fans criticized the ending, stating that an educated and independent girl like Mannat would not typically choose to save her marriage with someone like Murad, others celebrated the portrayal of love between the main characters. Despite varying opinions, Mannat Murad’s finale left a lasting impression on its audience, showcasing memorable moments that will be remembered by fans.
