Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Global oil prices climb to highest in three weeks

    Oil prices increased on Monday as fears of limited global supply intensified, with the developing crisis in Ukraine raising the risk of more penalties from the West against Russia, the world’s leading exporter.

    Brent futures were up $1.50, or 1.3 per cent, at $113.20 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate futures were up 98 cents, or 0.9 per cent, at $107.93 per barrel. Both contracts surged more than 2.5 per cent on April 14, ahead of the Easter weekend holidays, on news that the European Union would phase in a ban on Russian oil imports.

    Last week, EU governments said that the bloc’s executive was working on ideas to ban Russian oil, but officials said Germany was not actively backing an immediate ban.

    Those remarks came before the Ukraine situation escalated over the weekend, with the Ukrainian military defying a Russian demand to lay down arms in the pulverised port of Mariupol on Sunday. Moscow, which refers to its efforts in Ukraine as a “special operation,” said its soldiers had nearly entirely captured the city, with no sign of a truce in sight.

    Read more: Oil prices jump following Russia’s biggest production decline

    Due to sanctions or importers voluntarily rejecting Russian shipments, the International Energy Agency has warned that around 3 million barrels per day (BPD) of Russian oil might be shut in from May onwards.

  • Disheartened: PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat might quit politics

    Disheartened: PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat might quit politics

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has been reportedly considering quitting politics after being shocked by the aggressiveness and hooliganism staged during the Punjab Assembly session on Saturday, reports Geo News’ sources.

    According to the news outlet, Jamaat-e-Islami Central Vice-Chief Liaquat Baloch visited the residence of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to enquire about his well-being where he also met Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

    During the conversation, Baloch urged Ch Shujaat to suggest effective steps for the elimination of aggressiveness and extremism from politics. The PML-Q chief, however, in a dispirited tone expressed that he was now considering whether or not to stay in politics.

    Baloch also suggested to Ch Shujaat to tell people that aggression and violence is in nobody’s interest and will benefit no one in any form. The report quoting sources said that Ch Shujaat told Baloch that he will speak to him about his future line of action after making up his mind.

    Chaudhry Shujaat’s cousin Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, who was a candidate for the slot of CM Punjab, was injured during a fight in Punjab Assembly.

  • Five injured in mosque shooting in Canada

    Five injured in mosque shooting in Canada

    According to police sources, five individuals were injured in a mosque shooting in Toronto, Canada reports TRT.

    As per details, a group of men, who had finished midnight prayers were randomly attacked on Saturday in a drive-by shooting in the Scarborough district.

    According to Toronto Police Department spokesperson David Rydzik, at least six rounds were fired, although the number of suspects engaged in the incident is unknown.

    “We are unable to say whether the victims were targeted because of their religious beliefs,” said Rydzik.

    Meanwhile, Scarborough Muslim Association board member Nadeem Sheikh is concerned and has expressed alarms about the shooting.

    He urged authorities to do their best to bring the perpetrators before authorities and said more steps should be taken to curb gun violence.

  • National awareness campaign launched to protect children against cybercrime

    National awareness campaign launched to protect children against cybercrime

    The Federal Ombudsman’s nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at educating the wider populace and relevant groups about the skills and methods needed to combat cybercrime against children is now in full swing.

    On Sunday, a representative for the Federal Ombudsman Office said that as part of the program, state-run broadcasting stations broadcast informational messages and programmes about the prevention and control of cyber-crime against children in Urdu and regional languages.

    The strategic goal of the awareness campaign, according to Commissioner for Children Syeda Viqar un Nisa Hashmi, is to raise public awareness about the effects of cyber-crime abuse and exploitation of minors, as well as to educate children so that they could protect themselves from such situations.

    He went on to say that politicians were encouraged to bring legal amendments to the issue as part of the protection drive. The FIA Cyber Crime Cell is also conducting operations to apprehend the remaining suspects. 

    Read more: Lahore Police arrested 648 dacoits, recovering more than Rs27 crore in three months

    Earlier, the Federal Investigation Agency’s Cyber Crime Cell also nabbed a gang in Lahore that was allegedly making money from the dark web through juvenile crime.

  • Textile exports soared 25pc to $14.3b: PBS

    The exports of Pakistan textile commodities soared a 25.43 per cent during the first nine months of the current fiscal year (2021-22) as compared to the corresponding period of last year, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) report.

    As per PBS data, the textile exports were recorded at $14,242.623 million in July-March (2021-22) against the exports of $11,355.465 million in July-March (2020-21), showing growth of 25.43pc.

    The textile commodities that contributed in trade growth included cotton yarn, the exports of which increased by 25.97 per cent from $721.216 million last year to $908.487 million during the current year.

    Likewise, the exports of raw cotton increased by 1009.03 per cent, cotton cloth by 26.51 percent, from $1,419.181 million to $1,795.457 million, cotton (carded or combed) by 100 percent to $1.632 million from $0.064 million exports last year, yarn (other than cotton yarn) increased by 104.53 percent, from $23.560 million to $48.188 million whereas exports of knitwear increased by 34.12 percent, from $2,780.896 million to $3,729.683 million.

    Meanwhile, on year-on-year basis, the textile exports increased by 19.90 percent during the month of March 2022 as compared to the same month of last year. The exports during March 2022 were recorded at $1,625.253 million against the exports of $1,355.542 million during March 2021.

    On month-on-month basis, the exports of textile from the country however witnessed a decrease of 3.51 percent during March 2022 when compared to the exports of $1,684.313 million in February 2022.

    As per report, the country’s total merchandise exports increased by 24.98 percent during the first nine months of the current fiscal year. The merchandise exports during July-March (2021-22) were recorded at $23.355 billion compared to the exports of $18.687billion during July-March (2020-21).

  • ‘Because of you, a little orphan girl dared to dream’: Edhi orphan girl pens emotional tribute for Bilquis Edhi

    ‘Because of you, a little orphan girl dared to dream’: Edhi orphan girl pens emotional tribute for Bilquis Edhi

    Rabia Bibi Osman shared an inspirational and successful journey that has an impactful contribution of philanthropist, Bilquis Edhi. She wrote her full story on a professional platform, Linkedin after the demise of Bilquis Edhi.

    “Twenty-eight years ago I was abandoned in a baby carriage at the Edhi Orphanage located in Karachi, Pakistan. You found me, you named me after your mother Rabia Bano, you forged my identity, then you gave me a home. Because of you today…I am a somebody, I have an identity, and I have loving parents to call my own,” Rabia wrote.

    She also admired the activism of late Bilquis for women’s rights and empowerment. She dedicated her success journey to the late philanthropist. She had given an opportunity to Rabia to lead an independent life and aspiration to become a successful woman.

    She continued, “Because of you, a little Pakistani girl orphaned at birth dared to dream. Because of you, I am an independent woman with graduate-level education and a place in the world to call my own. You gave me an opportunity. You awarded me a chance to dream, and you presented me with freedom.”

    She studied in college on scholarships and got a chance to get an internship in New York State Assembly, Bronx District Attorney’s Office, U.S Congress, and U.S Senate. She pursued her Master’s degree in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Law.

    She closed the post with an emotional note, “I want you to know who she was to me, and to all of Pakistan. Bilquis Edhi was a hero, she was a mother to so many orphans (like me) and a powerhouse for humanity.   Losing Bare Abbu (Abdul Sattar Edhi) was tough, but your loss has made me feel orphaned again today…   My name is Rabia Bibi Osman, and I will forever be a proud Edhi baby.”

  • IHC rejects plea against issuance of diplomatic passport to Nawaz Sharif

    IHC rejects plea against issuance of diplomatic passport to Nawaz Sharif

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed a plea against issuance of a diplomatic passport to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif by the incumbent government.

    According to ARY News, the IHC reserved its verdict on the petition earlier in the day and said that it could not decide on the matters without having any evidence of it. The court said that the petitioner could not provide any notification to prove his point.

    The court rejected the plea and also imposed a fine of Rs5,000 against the petitioner. “It is mandatory for an absconding convict to surrender himself to jail authorities,” the court said in its verdict.

    On April 15, a petition was filed in the IHC by Naeem Haider who asked the court to ensure arrest of Nawaz Sharif upon his return to Pakistan. “Nawaz Sharif is an absconding convict and therefore authorities should be barred from issuing diplomatic passport to him,” it said.

    The petitioner while making Nawaz Sharif, secretary interior and foreign affairs’ secretary as respondents in the case asked the Islamabad High Court to take up the matter today and issue arrest warrants for the PML-N supremo.

    The registrar IHC admitted the petition and formed a bench for the hearing to be headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the interior ministry to issue a diplomatic passport to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

    However, the diplomatic staff said only Nawaz Sharif can be issued a diplomatic passport, not Ishaq Dar, on which PM Shehbaz Sharif directed to issue a normal Pakistani passport to Dar.

  • PTI rejects PM Shehbaz letter of regional peace, security to Modi

    PTI rejects PM Shehbaz letter of regional peace, security to Modi

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has written a letter in response to Indian PM Narendra Modi’s letter. In his letter, Modi had expressed his desire for developing constructive relations with Pakistan.

    “Reciprocating your sentiments, I wish to convey that Pakistan remains committed to the maintenance of regional peace and security. Our sacrifices and contributions in fighting and eliminating terrorism are well known and globally acknowledged,” wrote PM Shehbaz.

    PM Shehbaz added that peaceful and cooperative ties between Pakistan and India are “imperative for the progress and socio-economic uplift of the people of the two countries as well as for the region”.

    “This can be best achieved through meaningful engagement and peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including the core issue of Jammu & Kashmir,” wrote PM Shehbaz. “Let’s secure peace and work for the progress and prosperity of our people.”

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry criticised Shehbaz Sharif’s letter to Modi.

    “We reject this letter. We will not let imported government to bargain away Kashmir. Until and unless Modi restores Kashmir’s status, any offer to talk will tantamount to betraying the people of Kashmir.”

  • Pakistan extends time for transportation of Indian wheat, medicines to Afghanistan

    Pakistan extends time for transportation of Indian wheat, medicines to Afghanistan

    The Pakistani government extended by two months the time for transportation of Indian wheat and lifesaving medicines to Afghanistan on a humanitarian basis through Attari-Wagah border crossing.

    According to Dawn News, in a statement the Foreign Office spokesperson said that the extension manifests Islamabad’s sincere efforts towards addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

    The Indian government recently sought an extension in the time period to complete the transportation process.

    In November 2021, the Pakistani government had allowed transportation of 50,000 MTs of wheat and life-saving medicines as humanitarian assistance from India to Afghanistan via Wagah border on exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes.

    The time period granted for transportation of the humanitarian assistance expired on March 21.

    All the modalities will remain the same as earlier communicated to the Indian side. The Indian High Commission in Islamabad has been informed of the decision in this regard.

  • PM Shehbaz kicks off New Islamabad International Airport Metro Bus Service

    PM Shehbaz kicks off New Islamabad International Airport Metro Bus Service

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has inaugurated Metro Bus Service from Peshawar Morr to New Islamabad International Airport today [Monday]. Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mustafa Yurdakul, Chinese Chargé d’affaires Pang Chunxue, and a number of Parliamentarians attended the inauguration ceremony.

    Speaking at the inauguration, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the metro bus project as a gift from PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif for the residents of the federal capital, adding that the project was started in 2017 and was made functional in a record time one year in 2018.

    “But after the government changed, like other projects, this project was also delayed,” said the prime minister while addressing the ceremony. The thing that was not present was the government’s will to work and serve the masses,” he added.

    After assuming the office of Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif had directed for resumption of work on the project and its completion on a war footing.

    The bus service will provide international standard travel facilities to thousands of passengers on a daily basis. Later, the Metro Bus Service route will be extended to Rawat.