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Tag: Pakistan

  • Monsoon rains likely to continue during the week: Pakistan Meteorological Department

    Monsoon rains likely to continue during the week: Pakistan Meteorological Department

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday said that monsoon rains will continue this week.

    The PMD warned that the ongoing monsoon system may trigger further urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala.

    As per the PMD, flash flooding is also expected in local nullahs of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Shakargarh, Sialkot, Narowal, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Dir, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Kashmir from July 27 to July 31.

    Read more- Heavy rains, flash flooding in Balochistan kills at least 102 people

    “Rainfall may trigger landslides in Kashmir, Galiyat, Murree, Chillas, Diamir, Gilgit, Hunza, Astore, Ghizer and Skardu during the forecast period.”

    The Met Department advised travellers and tourists to observe caution during the forecast period.

  • PML-N won’t accept early elections without the return of Nawaz Sharif: report

    PML-N won’t accept early elections without the return of Nawaz Sharif: report

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is currently reviewing the political situation in Pakistan and it is likely that the PML-N chief may return to Pakistan, reports Ansar Abbasi for The News.

    It is also being reported that Nawaz Sharif should restart his interaction, both with the media and the public.  The PML-N did not want the government and were eager to go for fresh elections in May this year but were told to continue in the best interest of the country, stated the report.

    “We won’t accept it without the return of Mian Nawaz Sharif and in the absence of a level-playing field and clear rules of [the] game for all political parties,” revealed a PML-N insider.

    The PML-N wants to see the court decide the appeals against Sharif to give him and the party a fair opportunity to contest the elections.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government will complete it’s constitutional term in August 2023.

    Last week, Ansar Abbasi revealed that the establishment is considering holding elections in October.

    Read more: ‘Soft intervention’ by the Establishment due to political crisis: report

    “A soft intervention by the establishment between the government and the Opposition has raised the prospect of early talks and general elections in the country in October,” said Abbasi.

    Abbasi further said that after the unconditional intervention of the establishment between the government and the Opposition, talks between the political parties are likely to begin soon and the prospect of general elections in October seems imminent.

  • Heavy rains, flash flooding in Balochistan kills at least 102 people

    Heavy rains, flash flooding in Balochistan kills at least 102 people

    At least 102 people have died due to the torrential rains and flash floods in Balochistan.

    “Thirty-two children and 28 women are among the dead so far,” said Naseer Ahmed Nasar, the director-general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

    Nasar further added that most of the children drowned in flash floods that were triggered by heavy rainfall in different parts of the province.

    The spokesperson of the Balochistan government, Farah Azeem Shah, said that the rains have damaged 580 kilometres of roads, 11 bridges and five dams in the province. Besides, 706 cattle have also died due to floods.

    “Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo released an amount of 92.4 million rupees for the families of rain victims and deceased persons,”she added.

    The Balochistan government imposed Section 144 in the province amid forecasts of more heavy rain.

  • Asif Zardari will celebrate his 67th birthday in Dubai with his 9-month-old grandson: Bakhtawar Bhutto

    Asif Zardari will celebrate his 67th birthday in Dubai with his 9-month-old grandson: Bakhtawar Bhutto

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari left for Dubai, which led to some questions about why he had gone abroad at a crucial time for the coalition government.

    Taking to Twitter, Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari clarified why her father is in Dubai.

    “My father will be spending his 67th birthday (& first as a grandfather) with his 9 month old grandson,” tweeted Bakhtawar.

    Asif Zardari will celebrate his 67th birthday tomorrow (July 26).

    In an earlier tweet, Bakhtawar said that Zardari did not run away for “11+ YEARS of jail” so why would he now.

    “[Zardari] faced courts under every regime including our wannabe dictator Select but never ran. 1st bday as a grandfather he’s here to spend with his grandson (who due to a medical procedure last month could not fly himself).”

    Bakhtawar Bhutto gave birth to a baby boy, Mir Hakim Mahmood Choudhry, on October 10, 2021.

  • Pakistan to increase surveillance after WHO declares monkeypox as global health emergency

    Pakistan to increase surveillance after WHO declares monkeypox as global health emergency

    In light of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) declaration that the monkeypox outbreak is “a global health emergency”, the health ministry has warned all the provincial governments to keep a watch out for any suspected monkeypox cases.

    Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel on Sunday said that the government has decided to increase surveillance.

    “All the national and provincial health authorities have been advised to remain on high alert for any suspected case of monkeypox,” Patel said in a statement. “Instructions have been issued to stakeholders, especially border health services for strict monitoring at all points of entry.”

    He said that at all ports of entry, an efficient surveillance system had been built on a scientific foundation. All incoming travellers would be subject to screening, especially those from African nations, he added.

    On July 23, WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency. WHO now sees this virus as a significant enough threat that a global response is needed to prevent it from spreading.

  • Pakistani rupee falls to record low of Rs230 versus US dollar

    Pakistani rupee falls to record low of Rs230 versus US dollar

    As the political situation in the country worsens, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) touched an all-time low versus the US dollar on Monday during intraday activity in the interbank market.

    Data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) show that during intraday trade, the PKR fell to Rs230 from a rate of Rs228.37.

    As local currency fell by over 8 per cent against the greenback in the most recent trading week, its foreign exchange reserves fell below $10 billion, and inflation reached its highest point in more than a decade, worries about the country’s ailing economy have grown.

    According to Geo, the acting governor of Pakistan’s central bank, Murtaza Syed, stated this in a recent speech to foreign investors: “Markets are responding to these shocks in an unfairly broad-brush way, without paying enough attention to Pakistan’s relative strengths.”

    On Monday, a tola of 24-karat gold costs Rs147,700 in Pakistan.

    10 grammes of 24 karat gold were priced at Rs126,700. A single tola of 22-karat gold was being offered for Rs135,391 while 10 grams of 22k gold was being traded for Rs116,141.

  • Will women ever be safe in Pakistan?

    Will women ever be safe in Pakistan?

    The World Economic Forum recently released the Global Gender Gap Report, 2022. Out of the 146 countries ranked on the index, Pakistan is at 145, doing slightly better than Afghanistan. The report gauges how immense the gender gap is in areas including education, economic participation, health, and political empowerment. Pakistan’s second-last position comes as no surprise, at least not for the women in the country.

    Earlier this week, a 21-year-old American woman, who is also a vlogger, was allegedly raped by her tour guide and his two accomplices in Dera Ghazi Khan. The woman revealed she knew the man [one of the culprits] for a long time and is hurt by the fact that he could do something like this. “I am deeply hurt by the fact that a friend I have known for such a long time was trying to portray a positive image of this beautiful country to foreign travellers, who seemed so trustworthy, could commit such a vile and horrific act,” she said. Then there was news of a van driver in Dera Ghazi Khan who raped a woman at Rajanpur wagon. Every day, someone somewhere in Pakistan gets raped, either by someone they know or a complete stranger. The women in Pakistan have said it over and over again about how unsafe they feel in this country, including in their homes, offices, and streets. You name it and you will come to know about a story of a woman being raped or sexually harassed. With all that is going on, when will this stop for the women living in the country? Will sanity ever prevail? Will they ever be safe? Will they ever get equality? Will justice and the right care be provided to them? What are our policymakers doing to make the lives of women in Pakistan better?

    A new committee against rape has been announced by the Law Ministry in an effort to combat the worrying increase in sexual violence cases across the nation. The special committee’s primary responsibility will be to aid sexual assault victims in getting legal representation, in addition to attempting to stop cases of rape against children. But the question remains: will this be enough? Women in Pakistan are yearning for the day when our society will learn to provide the strength where it is required and stand with the survivors of sexual assaults when no one will be frightened to talk about their horrific experiences and when no woman will be blamed for being a victim and survivor. But until that day arrives, we can all try to bridge the gap and make it better for the women in our country. The leaders and decision-makers can really try and make an effort to make Pakistan safe for women. It is time to stand up for the ones suffering. Home needs to be a safe place, workplaces need to be safe, our streets need to be safe, and our trains and other transportation means need to be safe for women.

    It has been a year since Noor Mukadam was brutally murdered by Zahir Jaffer in Islamabad. We hope that Noor finds justice. We hope that women who are killed in the name of so-called ‘honour’ find justice. We hope that men who commit crimes against women are caught and punished. We hope that our justice system does not betray are women constantly. We hope that women are allowed to study, work, marry of their own choice, stay unmarried if they wish to, and are able to live in a society that does not treat them like second-class citizens. Because enough is enough!

  • ‘Elahi will remain my candidate for CM slot,’ reveals Chaudhry Shujaat

    ‘Elahi will remain my candidate for CM slot,’ reveals Chaudhry Shujaat

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has come forward and clarified why he backed out at the last moment and opposed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Minister (CM) slot nominee — his cousin and party leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

    The PML-Q chief said that he could not support “anyone who criticised state institutions”, adding that he has had relations with institutions for the last 30 to 40 years, which is why Pervaiz Elahi could not be PTI’s candidate.

    The PML-Q leader said that there is stability in Pakistan until there are institutions. He is of the view that using abusive language against institutions cannot be tolerated as institutions consider the integrity of the country their duty.

    He also clarified that Elahi “was, is and would remain” his candidate for the office of the chief minister, however, he [Shujaat] could not allow him to become “the nominee of PTI”.

    In a series of tweets, Hussain made these revelations. According to PML-Q leader and Elahi’s son Moonis, the Twitter account does indeed belong to the PML-Q chief and is operated by his son, Chaudhry Salik Hussain.

    In his tweets, Shujaat Hussain suggested that “all political leaders’ personal interests should be subordinate to national interests so that the country could come out of this quagmire”.

    Moonis Elahi also claimed that Shujaat was under “immense pressure” and that’s why refused to support Pervaiz Elahi as a candidate for Imran Khan. Talking to the media, Moonis said he had gone to see Shujaat Hussain and asked whether he had written the letter to which he replied that he did.

    According to Moonis, Shujaat told him that he has instructed the PML-Q MPAs not to vote for anyone in the chief minister’s election.

  • Pakistan and Afghanistan to launch luxury bus service in August

    Pakistan and Afghanistan to launch luxury bus service in August

    Pakistan and Afghanistan will launch a luxury bus service between Peshawar and Jalalabad, as well as Quetta and Kandahar, by the end of August.

    During the visit of Pakistan’s official delegation to Kabul, the two nations have also agreed to boost bilateral trade by allowing unrestricted travel for trucks and other goods-carrying vehicles. Meetings were held between the delegation and other top Afghan officials, including the temporary ministers of foreign and commerce.

    In a joint statement released at the conclusion of three days of talks between Pakistani and Afghan officials (July 18–20), both sides committed to continuing their efforts to remove obstacles through mutual cooperation and coordination.

    The delegation from Pakistan was led by Commerce Secretary Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui and included businessmen as well as senior members of various ministries. The delegation from Afghanistan was led by Nooruddin Azizi, the minister of trade and industry, and Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister.

    In order to ensure prompt clearance of trade and transit traffic and to address bottlenecks and obstacles on a priority basis, the official also agreed to make border crossing points more efficient.

    In an effort to further boost trade between the two nations, the two sides approved the implementation of the Temporary Admission Document (TAD), which permits free movement of vehicles engaged in bilateral trade but prohibits the loading and unloading of cargo at border crossing points.

    Additionally, all crossing points, particularly Torkham, Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan, and Chaman-Spin Boldak, will have longer operating hours, according to the authorities.

    The bilateral discussions were still centred on trade. Both parties concentrated on enhancing bilateral trade, transit, and accessibility as well as taking the necessary actions to facilitate trade and address issues faced by importers, exporters, traders, and business owners in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    In parallel, a delegation from the Afghan business community headed by Khan Jan Alokozai, co-chairman of the Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJJCCI), arrived in Pakistan on Thursday to take part in a roundtable of Pak-Afghan trade stakeholders. Members of the PAJCCI as well as senior business figures from the Kunar and Nangarhar Chambers of Commerce and Industry make up the delegation.

    Zubair Motiwala, chairman of the PAJCCI, lauded the efforts of the commerce chamber in setting up visits to Chaman, Torkham, and Swat for joint discussions on bilateral and transit trade, exploring new trade avenues, removing trade barriers, and aiding governments in formulating policy.

  • ‘The Minor shall be handed over to Sindh Police by Punjab govt’: Salman Sufi

    ‘The Minor shall be handed over to Sindh Police by Punjab govt’: Salman Sufi

    The Punjab government will hand over The Minor to the Sindh Police, Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit Salman Sufi tweeted.


    “As per court decision, The Minor shall be handed over to Sindh Police by the Punjab Government. She shall be taken to the child protection bureau Sindh and later produced in front of Court in Sindh. Punjab child protection bureau & social welfare department stand ready to assist.”

    She will be presented before the Sindh High Court on July 25.

    The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday ordered to transfer The Minor to Karachi. A two-member SHC bench announced its verdict on a petition filed by The Minor’s father Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi regarding the alleged kidnapping and child marriage of his daughter.