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Tag: Pakistan

  • BJP leader caught on camera threatening to slaughter ‘200,000 Muslims’

    BJP leader caught on camera threatening to slaughter ‘200,000 Muslims’

    Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) member Karnell Singh was caught on camera threatening Muslims after an incident involving a cow’s head near a Hindu temple in New Delhi.

    In a viral video circulating online, Singh is seen issuing a chilling threat to “slaughter 200,000 Muslims” in the vicinity if the culprits are not arrested. He can be seen warning an officer that he (the officer) has 48 hours only to solve the issue, or else he “will hand a sword in the hands of Hindus”, and Muslims will not be spared.

    His comments have escalated tensions amidst communal sensitivities, drawing widespread condemnation from various quarters.

    The incident underscores ongoing communal tensions in India, where issues related to cows, considered sacred in Hinduism, often ignite debates and occasionally lead to violent riots.

  • K-Electric seeks increase in base electricity tariff by Rs.10

    K-Electric seeks increase in base electricity tariff by Rs.10

    K-Electric has requested National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to increase the base electricity tariff in Karachi by Rs 10, taking it from Rs 33 to Rs 44.


    The request is part of K-Electric’s comprehensive investment plan, which includes establishing fourteen new grid stations and laying 550 kilometers of transmission lines in Karachi over the next seven years, reports Samaa.


    An online public hearing on K-Electric’s application was conducted by Nepra on Thursday in which it was laid out that a $2 billion investment strategy for improving the city’s electricity transmission, distribution, and supply system.


    During the hearing, K-Electric’s Director of Communication, Imran Rana assured NEPRA that the increase in the base tariff would not impact Karachi’s electricity consumers due to the uniform electricity rate policy implemented across the country.


    K-Electric emphasised that approving this tariff is crucial for maintaining a stable electricity supply and demand balance in the city.

  • Did a leading religious scholar try to repair relations between Khan and the military?

    Did a leading religious scholar try to repair relations between Khan and the military?

    Journalist Ansar Abbasi has revealed that one of the country’s leading religious scholars tried to repair fraught relations between the military establishment and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) head Imran Khan but failed in his task.

    The unsuccessful attempt to initiate the dialogue was made before the February 8 general elections in the country. Abbasi did not reveal who the scholar is.

    According to Abbasi, Khan has hit out hard at the military, its current and former army chief, since he was ousted from government in April 2022. This has hurt the credibility of Chairman PTI, who is now facing immense challenges.

    Ansar Abbasi stated that Khan has adopted an interesting two-pronged policy of criticizing the military leadership while pressuring them to pave his way to the Prime Minister’s office.

    He also revealed that Khan and other party leaders desperately tried to negotiate with the military with the help of former President Dr Arif Alvi during his tenure but received no response.

  • No military operation or evictions under Azm-e-Istehkam

    No military operation or evictions under Azm-e-Istehkam

    Geo News has reported that under the newly announced anti-terror operation Azm-e-Istehkam, security sources have emphasised that there will be no evictions or military operations under the new anti-terror campaign.

    Under Azm-e-Istehkam, a multidimensional strategy would be undertaken to effectively end the menace of terrorism along with effective legislation aimed at ensuring militants are duly punished in the court of law.

    Furthermore, policies would be made to prevent smuggling and drug money from being used to finance terrorism in the country.

    The clarifications came to light after various opposition political parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insfaf (PTI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Awami National Party (ANP) voiced serious concerns over the operation’s consequences in the country.

    Last week, the Prime Minister’s Office also clarified that “no large-scale military operation is being launched” that would cause internal displacement of the local population.

  • Provinces intensify security protocols ahead of Muharram

    Provinces intensify security protocols ahead of Muharram

    With Muharram approaching, security concerns loom large, exacerbated by recent terrorist activities across the country. Provincial governments have formulated plans to ensure peace.

    Punjab

    The Punjab Home Department has issued security guidelines that enforce Section 144 throughout the province. 502 locations have been identified as sensitive, with deployment of army and Rangers personnel at these sites.

    10,426 Muharram processions are scheduled across the province.

    The Punjab Interior Department has stipulated that processions and gatherings are permitted only along designated routes and locations.

    According to Punjab’s Interior Secretary, Noorul Amin Mengal, peace committees in each district are tasked with implementing all SOPs and monitoring assemblies and processions.

    Hate speech on social media is also strictly prohibited, and serious actions will be taken against violators; whereas unauthorized use of loudspeakers is also prohibited by law.

    Sindh

    The Sindh Home Department has also announced a province-wide curfew for the duration of Muharram.

    Starting from the first to the tenth of Muharram, a ban on motorcycle double riding has been imposed.

    Additionally, the display of weapons and the operation of drones are strictly prohibited.

  • Another PTI MNA resigns from core committee after Omar Ayub’s resignation

    Another PTI MNA resigns from core committee after Omar Ayub’s resignation

    After Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub, another lawmaker has resigned from party’s core committee, ARY News reported on Saturday.

    Member National Assembly (MNA) Junaid Akbar resigned from the party’s core commitee, articulating that he is not part of any group and will never be.

    The MNA criticized mystery individuals without naming them, stating that some people are using the party for their personal benefits, adding that only these folks can approach incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    “These individuals meet Imran Khan, and they don’t let us meet him,” Akbar added.

    Juniad Akbar also said that party leadership is not ready to listen to his concerns and they don’t involve him in decision-making.

  • UK PM ‘hurt’ after being called ‘f***ing Paki’

    UK PM ‘hurt’ after being called ‘f***ing Paki’

    United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was hurt and angry that a supporter of the right-wing Reform UK party passed a racial slur about him.

    Sunak, Britain’s first ethnic-minority prime minister, currently campaigning for the July 4 national election that his Conservative Party is tipped to lose after 14 years in power, was responding to the comments broadcast by a man identified as Andrew Parker, calling Sunak a “f***ing Paki” – a British racial slur for people of South Asian descent.

    “My two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign for Nigel Farage calling me an effing Paki. It hurts and it makes me angry, and I think he has some questions to answer,” Sunak told reporters.


    “I don’t repeat those words lightly, I do so deliberately because this is too important not to call out clearly for what it is,” he added.


    Nigel Farage, the leader of right wing Reform party initially said he was dismayed by the language when the comments were first broadcast on Thursday. But on Friday he suggested, without providing evidence, that Parker was an actor involved in “a political setup” to undermine Reform during the election.
    Asked during a television debate when he would accept some responsibility, Farage said: “I am not going to apologise […] it is a setup, a deliberate attempt to smear us.”

  • No load shedding from 10pm to 6am in Sindh, Nasir Shah orders

    No load shedding from 10pm to 6am in Sindh, Nasir Shah orders

    Energy Minister in Sindh, Nasir Hussain Shah, has told K-Electric, Hyderabad-Electric, and Sukkhur-Electric that load shedding is unacceptable between 10pm and 6am in the province, adding that it will help citizens reduce their burden during crucial hours.

    He stressed that all power companies need to take initiatives to reduce load shedding.

    However, the minister said if load shedding is inescapable, the public must be informed in advance to avoid inconvenience.

  • Pakistan raises plane ticket prices for foreign trips

    Pakistan raises plane ticket prices for foreign trips

    Today, the National Assembly of Pakistan has approved the Finance Bill 2024-25, introducing significant changes to taxation on foreign travel.

    Effective July 1, 2024, travelers will encounter increased excise duties when purchasing international flight tickets.

    Under the new regulations, economy and economy plus class tickets will now incur an excise duty of Rs12,500. Business and club class tickets face higher taxation rates, particularly for destinations such as the United States and Canada, where travelers will pay Rs350,000 in excise duty.

    For European destinations, this duty rises to Rs210,000, marking an increase of Rs60,000. Similarly, flights to New Zealand, Australia, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia will also see a standard excise duty of Rs210,000 on business and club class tickets.

    Furthermore, flights to the Middle East and Africa, including popular routes like Dubai and Saudi Arabia, will experience a significant increase in excise duty, climbing from Rs30,000 to Rs105,000 for business and club class tickets.

    These taxes are part of the government’s efforts to boost revenue under the new fiscal year’s budget, which has been set at Rs18,870 billion.

    Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the Finance Bill, 2024 in the National Assembly, which was subsequently passed after thorough deliberation and voting. Amendments proposed by opposition members were not adopted, ensuring the bill’s passage in its original form.

    Travelers are advised to factor in these additional costs when planning their international trips starting July 1, 2024, as the excise duties will be levied at the time of ticket purchase.

  • Install two ACs instead of one, Nawaz Sharif says about Khan’s jail condition

    Install two ACs instead of one, Nawaz Sharif says about Khan’s jail condition

    Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, addressed a budget session in the provincial assembly today, saying, “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) government was busy setting records of incompetence; they were busy removing people’s air conditioners.”

    She clarified, “The Punjab government has never done anything to remove the facilities of opposition, and neither have we used power against them.”

    The opposition shouted slogans against Maryam Nawaz, to which she responded with assertiveness, “Sit down, don’t be too loud or your throats will be damaged.”

    She also stated, “Nawaz Sharif has said to provide him [Imran Khan] with two ACs instead of one.”

    The Chief Minister addressed the assembly saying, “For the first time, a tax-free budget has been created in Punjab.”