PPP stabbed PDM in the back: Fazlur Rehman

PPP "stabbed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in the back", the Opposition alliance's chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said Friday, as he announced an expansion of protests by the movement across the country.

Fazl, speaking at a press conference in Karachi alongside Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif and other political party leaders, told reporters to not discuss PPP as it was "a thing of the past".

A meeting of the leaders of various Opposition political parties in the PDM was held prior to the media briefing, ahead of the alliance's rally at the Quaid's mausoleum on Sunday.

"PDM will also raise the issues in Sindh," he said, hitting out once more at the PPP, which is the ruling provincial party.

 The PDM chief said women would also come to the anti-government protests, and they would be treated with the utmost respect — in reference to the recent harassment incidents with women in Lahore.

The PDM chief said the Opposition alliance rejects the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA). "We do not accept this black law."

Fazl said PDM stands in solidarity with the journalist community and announced a protest outside the parliament, as PMDA was an "unannounced", "dictatorial" law.

The meeting participants expressed sorrow over the fire at a chemical factory that killed 16 labourers in Karachi, the blast in Quetta which left several injured, and other incidents, he said.

Fazl said leaders of all the political parties associated with the anti-government movement had attended the meeting, and they expressed grief over the ongoing "instability" in the country.

He further said that the PDM also rejected the government's electoral reforms, which he claimed that the "entire world" had disapproved of, but the incumbent government was persistent in introducing.

"Electronic voting is a plan to steal elections," he said.

The PDM chief said the government had "taken away the jobs of thousands" of people, as it aims to bring reforms to make state institutions profitable. "The meeting expressed deep concerns over the unemployment and inflation in the country," he added.

Bilawal welcomes PDM in Karachi

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, a couple of days ago, termed the news of the PDM holding a jalsa in Karachi as welcome news, adding that his party had informed PDM leaders of doing things the constitutional way. He said it was the right of every political party to hold rallies.

He said that the PPP also desires to give a tough time to the PTI-led coalition government, adding that it has been opposing the regime since it came to power in 2018.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3BlOIfz

India collapse again as England seal crushing win in third Test

England thrashed India by an innings and 76 runs to win the third Test at Headingley on Saturday with more than a day to spare.

Victory saw England level the five-match series at 1-1 after India's 151-run win in the second Test at Lord's.

India, 215-2 overnight in their second innings, collapsed against the new ball, losing eight wickets for 63 runs in 19.3 overs on Saturday with Ollie Robinson taking 5-65.

India's 278 all out, however, was 200 runs more than their woeful first innings of 78 — made after captain Virat Kohli won the toss — which saw England great James Anderson rip through the top order with 3-6.

The tourists resumed on Saturday on 215-2 but, with 80 overs bowled, England took the new ball straight from the start of Saturday's play.

From the moment Cheteshwar Pujara was lbw to Robinson without adding to his overnight 91, lbw playing no shot to Robinson, England were in complete command on Saturday, with Kohli falling soon afterwards for 55 — his first fifty of the series.

The match was a personal triumph for England captain Joe Root, who top-scored with 121 out of a total on 432 on his Headingley home ground.

It was Root's third century of the series and sixth of the calendar year.

Meanwhile, the rest of England's often fallible top order all posted fifties, with Dawid Malan compiling 70 on his Test recall after Dom Sibley was dropped from the team.

The fourth Test at the Oval starts on Thursday.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3jqpkiC

Those who banned PIA are now seeking its help for Afghanistan evacuations: Fawad

Recounting international recognition for Pakistan on evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday said "those who banned the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are now seeking assistance from the same airline for evacuation of their people" from the neighbouring country.

Chaudhry made these remarks in reference to the ban imposed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency on the PIA in July 2020 over safety deficiencies and issues surrounding authorisation processes of pilot licencing.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the minister said the international powers must take decisions with rationale and not by force.

He said Pakistan had so far evacuated more than 4,400 people from Afghanistan, and of them, “PIA alone brought over 2,000 people to the country.”

“Apart from that, as many as 27,000 people arrived into Pakistan from the Chaman border and some from the Torkham border,” he said.

The minister said Afghan nationals possessing valid documents could come into Pakistan. “We will give our complete support to Afghanistan and it can only become stable if their institutions are intact.”

Chaudhry said the administrative vacuum in Afghanistan would further aggravate if the international community kept ignoring the war-ravaged country.

He remarked that the situation in Afghanistan could change if Pakistan’s advice was implemented and considered by the world. “We hold credit for prudent analysis on the Afghan situation and what was earlier said by our prime minister is now a reality,” he added.

The minister insisted that the world must not wait for Afghanistan to collapse. “We need to engage with authorities in Afghanistan and the world has the responsibility to help Afghans in governance along with maintaining social and political stability in the country.”

He highlighted that statements given by the Taliban to form an inclusive government were encouraging.

‘Valima at our expense’
The minister also took exception to the wedding ceremony of Maryam Nawaz’s son, Junaid Safdar, in London a few days ago, saying “They should first get back here, face courts and return our money.”

Chaudhry claimed that the “Valima ceremony” of [Safdar] had a total cost of more than $1 million. “We don’t have objections to such weddings, but they should not be at our expense,” he added.

The information minister also said the PML-N must decide about its leadership as “some people are chasing Maryam Nawaz while others are following Shehbaz Sharif.”

‘Sindh needs to be held accountable’
Chaudhry, while turning his guns on the Sindh government, said the federal government transferred Rs1.9 trillion to the province in the last three years and asked the media to question the provincial administration about its spending.

“They can only think of ways to transfer money [given by the federal government] to Dubai,” he alleged.

The minister said Sindh was the only province where the administration was indifferent to the basic health needs of its citizens. “Sindh is even not willing to give health cards to its people,” he pointed out.

“If we ask the Sindh government about proper spending of money, they blame us for interfering in provincial affairs,” he said, adding that every department in Karachi sought bribes from people to serve them.

He said the federal government couldn’t undertake even basic development works until it had the power to govern a provincial government.

“The Supreme Court should implement Article 140-A of Constitution in this regard,” he appealed.

He said local government elections being planned by the Sindh government were a farce. “If the control of administration, funds and planning is kept by the chief minister then what will the local administration do?” he questioned.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3DqIahK

Afghanistan's neighbours 'realistic' on Kabul situation: Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who recently concluded a four-nation tour of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran, has said that Afghanistan's neighbours were "fully aware" of the situation in Kabul and their approach towards the issue "was realistic".

In a statement issued on Saturday, the foreign minister detailed his findings after holding dialogues with regional leadership surrounding Afghanistan. "I had the opportunity to learn about their views on Afghanistan during my four-nation tour," he said.

"The entire region will benefit if there is peace and stability in Afghanistan," Qureshi said, adding that the Taliban leadership was also in contact with all the countries.

"The people of Afghanistan have been dealing with wars for decades and want peace. They are suffering for the mistakes made in the past. We need to learn from the mistakes made in the past so that they are not repeated."

If there is a positive message coming from Afghanistan, it should be encouraged, Qureshi said, adding that isolating Afghanistan would be detrimental to all.

The minister said the world was "expressing confidence" in Pakistan, adding that the country's role as a mediator in Afghanistan had also been praised.

"Pakistan is helping evacuate the diplomatic staff of several countries from Afghanistan," he said. "Pakistan International Airlines has played an important role in this regard."

Commenting on neighbouring India, he said that it was at the top of the list of "spoilers" in the region. He said India was carrying out "negative activities" to harm Pakistan and was bent upon destroying peace in the region.

The minister denied that the border with Afghanistan had been closed, adding that only "border management measures" have been taken.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3gGOVlv

Punjab reports 7.8 percent positivity ratio in 24 hrs

Punjab has reported 1718 COVID-19 cases as the overall positivity rate in the province has soared to 7.8 percent, the provincial secretary health said on Saturday.

As per details, the province has reported 1718 fresh cases of COVID-19 and the positivity ratio has reached 7.8 percent, Punjab’s Secretary Health Sara Aslam said.

In Lahore, the positivity rate of the coronavirus tests was recorded at 10.4% during the last 24 hours, 7.6 percent in Rawalpindi, 8.4 percent in Faisalabad, 11 pct in Multan and 4.2 pct in Gujranwala.
Overall 54 persons died by Covid-19 in Punjab in last 24 hours, including 16 in provincial capital city Lahore.

Total number of deaths by the pandemic in the province has reached to 11,757, top health official of the province said.

Pakistan has recorded 120 more deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,535.

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has reached to 1,148,532 after 4,191 new infections.

The positivity rate of infections was recorded at 6.83% as compared to yesterday’s 6.42 per cent.

Pakistan has administered 50 million doses of different Covid-19 vaccines since the country’s vaccination drive began this year in Feb, said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3zrzrcv

US strikes back in Afghanistan after deadly Kabul attack

The United States (US) launched a drone strike against a “planner” of the Kabul airport attack in eastern Afghanistan, the military said on Friday.President Joe Biden vowed on Thursday that the United States would hunt down those responsible for the attack, saying he had ordered the Pentagon to come up with plans to strike at the perpetrators. US Central Command said the strike took place in Nangarhar province. “Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties,” a US military statement said. It did not…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3mHnWKy

Corona claims 120 new deaths, 4,191 infections in a day

Pakistan has recorded 120 more deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,535. The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has risen to 1,148,532 after the emergence of 4,191 new infections.Overall 1,026,082 have recovered their health back from the pandemic, adding that the positivity rate of infections was recorded at 6.83% as compared to yesterday’s 6.42 per cent. The NCOC said 5,515 people are in critical condition. Overall 17,581,591 tests…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3DA97Q6

Privatisation Commission auctions Lahore hotel for Rs1.951bn

The Privatisation Commission on Thursday auctioned the Services International Hotel in Lahore at the highest bid of Rs1.951 billion against the reserved price of Rs1.949bn with the small difference between the two prices raising some eyebrows.

Only two bidders participated in the auction and a renowned real estate developer of Lahore, Faisal Town Pvt Ltd, emerged successful, according to an official announcement.

Federal Minister for Privatisation Mohammadmian Soomro, who chaired the process, termed the auction a success of the Privatisation Commission and said the government believed in merit and transparency in the auction of state-owned properties. He said that the auction had fetched more than the base price, adding that main purpose of the auction was to reduce the burden of debt retirement on the country.

Sources in the Privatisation Commission explained that the reserved price was fixed following market valuation as the Services International Hotel was not functional.

On the other hand, the meagre difference between the final bidding price and the reserved price has raised eyebrows of independent observers in view of the prime location of the property, which is spread over 15 kanals on Upper Mall and surrounded by some of the prime traffic arteries of Lahore. The property is easily accessible from multiple routes.

Commercial status has been approved for the property by the Lahore Development Authority allowing construction for all asset classes on the land.

As per the rule, the successful bidder will now have to pay 30 per cent of the accepted bid price within 20 working days of issuance of the letter of acceptance. The remaining 70 per cent of the accepted bid price will have to be paid within 60 working days of issuance of the letter of acceptance.

The privatisation minister said on the directive of Prime Minister Imran Khan the auction process of state-owned properties was being carried out in a transparent manner in the country.

He said the government had a plan to privatise all public sector departments which were running in loss, adding that under the plan, Pakistan Steel Mills, Mari Petroleum, Jinnah Convention Centre, Islamabad, SME Bank, First Women Bank, PPL, Guddu Power Plant, Heavy Electrical Complex and other power plants were being privatised.

He said the government had to face some financial problems due to Covid-19, but now the country was on the road to progress and exports were increasing.

He said the process of privatisation of Balloki and Bahadur Shah power plants was delayed due to Covid-19 because the international investors wanted to visit the plants physically, which was not possible owing the travel advisory restrictions, but now the matter was on track again and transaction would be completed within prescribed time.

About privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills, Mr Soomro said that the expression of interest from investors would be invited soon.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3jnuOe1

Turkey, Taliban hold first official talks in Kabul: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Ankara held first official talks with the Taliban in Kabul, as the situation rapidly changes in Afghanistan after the group's take over.

Turkey has not made a final decision on a Taliban request for support to run the Kabul airport after foreign forces withdraw over security concerns and uncertainty in Afghanistan, Erdogan said, adding talks were still underway.

Turkey — which is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mission — has been responsible for security at the airport for the last six years.

Erdogan, speaking to reporters, said discussions were held at a military facility at the Kabul airport where Turkey’s embassy is temporarily stationed, according to Al Jazeera.

“We have held our first talks with the Taliban, which lasted three and a half hours,” the Turkish leader said, adding: “If necessary, we will have the opportunity to hold such talks again.”

Meanwhile, two officials told Reuters Turkey will not help run Kabul airport after NATO's withdrawal unless the Taliban agree to a Turkish security presence after deadly attacks outside the airport highlighted the perils of any such mission.

The Taliban have asked Turkey for technical help to run the airport after next Tuesday's deadline for all foreign military forces to pull out of Afghanistan, an ultimatum they say applies equally to Turkish troops.

Keeping the airport open after foreign forces hand over control is vital not just for Afghanistan to stay connected to the world but also to maintain aid supplies and operations.

On Thursday, just days before the military withdrawal deadline and as countries were still racing to evacuate civilians, at least one Daesh suicide bomber killed 85 people, including 13 US soldiers, outside the airport gates.

One senior Turkish official said the attack raised doubts about the Taliban's ability to secure the airport or to keep any Turkish operational staff safe.

"The operation can be done by Turkey technically [...] but our demand is that security should be ensured by Turkey too, through an extensive security team made up of former soldiers, former police, or a fully private firm," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"We have not been keen on Turkey operating the airport in an atmosphere where security is provided by the Taliban, and the attacks yesterday showed this was correct."

High risks
President Erdogan told reporters that Turkey was "not in a rush to start (commercial) flights or any such things" and that Ankara would decide "when there is finally calm there (in Kabul)".

The senior official said talks with the Taliban had been "negatively impacted" by the airport attacks and that future international flights from Kabul were at risk of being closed off. He did not say when the next contacts would take place.

Another Turkish official said security measures announced by the Taliban, including manning watchtowers around the airport, were not enough to ensure the safety of a potential Turkish mission.

"It's a very serious job and we need to think of security and operation together," the official said. "Our approach is that even if security is not provided by the Turkish Armed Forces, it should be done by Turkey."

At least 350 Turkish soldiers and some 1,400 other people have been evacuated by Turkey from Afghanistan since the Taliban captured Kabul on August 15.

Turkey has praised what it described as moderate statements by the Taliban since their takeover but said their actions will determine Ankara's position.

 

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3kpRcmi

PM Imran launches 'game changer' Roshan Apna Ghar scheme for overseas Pakistanis

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday launched the 'Roshan Apna Ghar' scheme for overseas Pakistanis, terming the new initiative a “game-changer”.

Under the scheme, non-resident Pakistanis can now purchase or obtain financing for a house in Pakistan through Roshan Digital Account, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

“I think this [initiative] will help us attract a lot of money because Pakistan needs dollars and overseas Pakistanis are the only source to decrease the gap between the country’s exports and imports,” the premier said at the launching ceremony of the programme.

He noted that Pakistan faced problems of current account deficit because of the high volume of imports, saying he hoped the new scheme would help narrow the import-export gap.

The premier said the initiative would help the government draw potential investment from nine million overseas Pakistanis.

The country will also witness sustainable growth by ensuring facilitation to overseas Pakistanis in the housing sector under the project. "Pakistanis based abroad need to be given confidence so they invest back home without any fear of fraud," he said.

Prime Minister Imran highlighted that one of the major hurdles to investment from overseas Pakistanis was corruption in the country, saying “a segment of people habitual of working in a corruption-free society will not prefer to work in corrupt societies.”

He recalled that he had met several Pakistanis based overseas who wanted to invest in the country but were forced not to. “A lot of [overseas] people informed me about a plot they purchased in Pakistan which later got occupied illegally,” he said.

He noted that there was a huge racket of land grabbers against whom the government was waging “jihad”.

Detailing what sets Roshan Apna Ghar apart, the premier said banks were involved in the scheme which will add to the confidence of overseas Pakistanis.

He added that his government had made improvements in ease of doing business.

Earlier while addressing the ceremony, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said the scheme would help retain money coming through Roshan Digital Account. He said a huge investment was expected in the real estate sector under the initiative.

State Bank Governor Reza Baqir said all impediments that overseas Pakistanis previously faced in housing investment had been removed through effective utilisation of digital technology.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/2WuGW4g

PM Imran nominates Ramiz Raja, Asad Ali Khan as members of PCB Board of Governors

Cricketer-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja and Asad Ali Khan have been nominated as members of the Board of Governors of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination.

The notification, issued on Friday, stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the capacity of PCB patron-in-chief, had nominated Raja and Khan as members of the PCB's Board of Governors for a period of three years.

The development follows days of speculation over the appointment of the PCB chief, with Raja being one of the hopefuls and reports of the likelihood of outgoing PCB chairperson Ehsan Mani being asked to serve another term as his current one ended on Wednesday. Raja's nomination lends some validity to the latter.

Earlier this week, the prime minister had held separate meetings with Mani and Raja.

On Thursday, said that he had "been informed by the Prime Minister's Office" that he was Prime Minister Imran Khan's choice to take over the PCB from Mani.

Raja had said an official notification of his nomination by the prime minister would be issued soon, following which he would contest PCB elections and become the new chairperson of the board.

Meanwhile, Mani not continuing as the PCB chief was confirmed when a statement issued by the PCB quoted him as saying that he would not be serving another term in the position.

“I am thankful to PCB Patron, Prime Minister Imran Khan and grateful to my colleagues on the PCB Board of Governors for their support during the past three year[s]. We made significant progress in becoming a credible, transparent and professional organisation," he said in the parting note.

Mani further stated: "I want to thank the PCB team, all the PSL franchise owners and other stakeholders for their support during my three years in the office. It has been an honour to lead this great organisation and I hope I have made positive contribution in taking Pakistan cricket forward."

“I would like to wish my successor the very best in taking the PCB and Pakistan cricket to the next level with the support of the excellent executive team at the PCB led by Wasim Khan,” he added.

According to the statement, Justice (Retd) Azmat Saeed, as the election commissioner, will announce the schedule for the election of the 36th PCB chairperson.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3jmM2IA

Is india a responsible state? Radioactive substances for sale in Kolkata Streets

Is nuclear power safe in indian hands? Radioactive substances for sale in indian streets, India can,t protect its own Nuclear Substances . The West Bengal Crime Investigation Department has captured two people from a space close to the Kolkata air terminal for illicit ownership of radioactive substances, which have an "expected worth of ₹ 4,250 crore". Following up on a hint, CID investigators captured them. One of the four pieces seized is suspected to be Californium, which has a few down to earth uses and costs something around ₹ 170 crore for…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/38nBN00

Deadly Karachi chemical factory fire kills 17 labourers

At least 17 labourers have lost their lives in a fire that broke out at a chemical factory in Karachi on Friday.

The blaze broke out at a factory in Mehran Town, Korangi.

According to Chief Fire Officer Mubeen Ahmed, the bodies of 16 labourers have been retrieved from inside the building and the area has been "cleared", but fire fighters are sweeping the area once more for the satisfaction of the affected families who are in search of their loved ones.

"After the search operation is complete, we will begin to examine the events that occurred," he said, adding that no cause had yet been determined for the fire.

Rescue officials said they had asked for heavy machinery to break the factory walls. It was earlier reported that they faced difficulties in the rescue operation due to smoke. Till 1:35pm, the police said more than 20 people were feared to be inside the factory.

According to eye witnesses, the fire brigade arrived late to douse the blaze. But Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab denied these reports, saying that the fire broke out at 10:09am and the fire brigade was alerted and left for the scene by 10:10am.

Jinnah hospital officials confirmed receiving 16 bodies, of which 12 have been identified and the the process to ascertain the identity of the remaining four is underway.

Two firefighters were injured while trying to put out the blaze.

Fire brigade officials said that a chemical used in the manufacture of various items was present in the factory and the fire broke out in the drum of the chemical and spread throughout the factory.

In an earlier update on the blaze, the chief fire officer said that 13 fire tenders and a snorkel were being used to put out the blaze.

He said a rescue vehicle and water board tanker were also present on the scene.

"There is only one way to enter the factory," the chief fire officer said, explaining that the roof of the factory was also locked, making it difficult for the labourers to escape.

The fire has been brought under control and the cooling process is underway, he said.

Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah wants to know how the fire erupted

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the fire at Karachi's chemical factory and sought a report from the commissioner Karachi and labour department on how the fire broke out.

This was shared by Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab.

The Sindh CM has asked the concerned authorities to explain how the incident took place, what precautionary and safety arrangements were taken in the factory and how so many lives were lost.

The CM gave orders to extend full support to the bereaved families and said the injured should be given full treatment.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3sQ70Cy

'Something can happen' at Afghanistan border 'but we are ready': DG ISPR

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar addressed an important press briefing on the Afghanistan issue on Friday and said that "something can happen" at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border but "we are ready" for all sorts of situations.

He said that Pakistan "trusts that the Taliban will take effective measures to ensure TTP does not operate against any country."

Speaking about the situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border from a military perspective, the DG ISPR said that things at the moment are "fairly normal."

"We have taken every possible step to maintain security at the border and every movement is under control there," he said.

The DG ISPR said that other than the people of Afghanistan, Pakistanis have been the biggest target of violence in Afghanistan.

Speaking about the situation at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the DG ISPR said that after August 15, the border had to be closed and reopened several times.

"Soldiers of the Afghan National Army sought refuge in Pakistan several times," he said. "We treated them in line with military values and made their return possible."

Answering a question, Maj Gen Iftikhar said: "We trust Taliban will take effective measures to ensure TTP does not operate against any country."

He went on to say that India's role in Afghanistan had been "extremely negative" and the international community needs to understand it.

Replying to a question related to the "possible refugee crisis" at the border, the DG ISPR said that at the moment, there are no refugees at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The DG ISPR also spoke about the recent attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan and said that "comprehensive security measures" are in place.

"The ministry of interior is looking after the matter, and if there is a requirement, the security will be beefed up further."

Replying to another question, he said that while there was "always a fear of a civil war" taking place in Afghanistan, the situation is volatile and nothing can be said about it as of now.

"Right now, there is no civil war in Afghanistan," he said.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3js5Fix

PPP decides to appoint Raja pervez as president

Pakistan People’s Party leadership has decided to appoint former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf as PPP Central Punjab chapter president, , sources. The decision has been taken after the consultation by chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari with the party leadership, said sources. Notification in this context would be issued in a day or two. It is to be noted that Qamar Zaman Kaira and Chaudhry Manzoor tendered their resignations from the party positions in the month of May, earlier this year.Kaira was made president of…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3Bw0Lar

Corona claims 95 more lives in Pakistan in a day

Pakistan has registered 95 more deaths in the last 24 hours by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,415 on Friday. The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has risen to 1,144,341 after the emergence of 4,016 new infections.Overall 1,026,082 have recovered their health back from the pandemic, adding that the positivity rate of infections was recorded at 6.42 per cent as compared to yesterday’s 7.4%.The NCOC said 5,515 people are in critical condition. Overall…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/2Wm3eoZ

3 Levies personnel martyred in landmine blast in Balochistan's Ziarat

Three Levies personnel were martyred and as many injured when their vehicle hit a landmine in Balochistan's Ziarat district on Thursday.

The explosion occurred when the Levies vehicle ran over a landmine near Mangi Dam, provincial government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said.

He further said the injured were sent to a hospital in Quetta for treatment.

According to Shahwani, the martyred personnel included a risaldar major, havaldar and a sepoy. The three injured were all sepoys.

Security sources said four labourers working at Mangi Dam were kidnapped by unidentified armed suspects. The Levies party was travelling to the area to get the workers released when it hit the landmine.

The Balochistan Levies is a force in charge of maintaining law and order in the tribal areas of the province.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3B6PPjc

Only CJP can take suo motu notices, says SC as it wraps up petition against journalists' harassment

The Supreme Court on Thursday wrapped up the matter of a suo motu notice taken by a bench of the apex court against the harassment of journalists, ruling in a written judgment that the authority to do so rests solely with the chief justice of Pakistan.

A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, while hearing another matter, took up the issue on August 20 when former president of the Press Association of the Supreme Court (PAS), Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui, brought to the court's notice an application over the alleged harassment of journalists.

The court directed filing a petition which was later filed by petitioners Imran Shafqat and Aamir Mir along with the Press Association of Supreme Court (PAS).

The court held that harassing journalists and depriving them of performing their professional obligations is a matter of public importance, as the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

Filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, the petition requested the apex court to initiate action to ensure their fundamental rights and take action against all those who are violating them.

In an order issued on August 20, the SC summoned the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Islamabad police chief as well as the secretaries of interior, information and religious affairs on August 26.

However, the next day a five-judge SC bench was constituted, headed by Acting Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial,and including Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmad and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, to provide clarity with regard to the court’s suo motu jurisdiction.

The new bench, on Monday, put the August 20 order in abeyance, observing that its implementation may "obscure and unsettle the practice of invoking suo motu jurisdiction".

The August 20 order now stands withdrawn, the SC said in its written judgment today.

According to the judgment, no bench can take a suo motu notice without explicit permission from the chief justice, and order an inquiry by any competent authority.

The judgment went on to state that a bench may recommend to the chief justice to take suo motu notice but cannot do so on its own.

It further stated that all such suo motu notices, which were taken without the knowledge of the chief justice, hereby stand dismissed. However, all pending suo motu cases under benches set up by the chief justice will continue, the judgment said.

It said that now, the PAS petition will be put before the chief justice.

The judgment also shed light the principles of suo motu notices under Article 184-3 of the Constitution.

A detailed decision on the authority to take up suo motu notices will be issued later, the Supreme Court said.

On Wednesday, in a letter to the CJP, Justice Isa said the two-member bench was not informed before the five-member larger bench was constituted.

The Constitution of Pakistan lists various jurisdictions of the Supreme Court, he said, adding that the apex court has no jurisdiction to monitor the affairs of its own bench.

A five-member bench has no jurisdiction to hear the case, Justice Isa said.

If a five-member larger bench continues hearing the case, it will be unconstitutional, he wrote.

Justice Isa argued that once the case was decided, if anyone felt it was not dealt with in accordance to the Constitution, they had the option to review it.

He said the Constitution does not allow "monitoring jurisdiction".

Criticising the SC registrar, Justice Isa said that the registrar had acted to "serve the interest of the executive and to protect his colleagues".

Justice Isa also said that a copy of his letter should be uploaded on the website of the Supreme Court.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3zkAgUz

Kabul airport blast kills at least 13, including children: Taliban official

An explosion outside Kabul airport killed at least 13 people, including children, and wounded many Taliban guards, a Taliban official told Reuters.

Earlier, the United States military confirmed that a large explosion occurred outside the airport, as the US-led airlift of thousands continued inside the compound.

“We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details when we can,” said Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby.

The explosion appeared to be caused by a suicide bomb, US officials said, citing an initial report and cautioning that it could change.

Unconfirmed reports put the explosion at the airport's main Abbey Gate, where thousands of people have massed over the past 12 days hoping to be evacuated after the Taliban seized power.

Other reports located it close to the Baron Hotel near the gate, which Western nations had used to stage some evacuations.

US and allied officials have said they had intelligence that suicide bombers were threatening to attack the airport.

US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the explosion, according to a White House official.

Biden was in a meeting with security officials about the situation in Afghanistan, where the United States is in the final steps of ending its 20-year war, when the explosion was first reported, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Britain's defence ministry said it was working urgently to establish what had happened at Kabul airport following reports of an explosion.

“We are working urgently to establish what has happened in Kabul and its impact on the ongoing evacuation effort,” the defence ministry said on Twitter.

“Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan. We are in close contact with our US and other Nato allies at an operational level on the immediate response to this incident.”

However, The Turkish Defence Ministry said there were two explosions, adding that there was no damage to Turkish units.

Earlier today, Western nations warned their citizens to immediately leave the surrounds of Kabul airport over a terrorist threat, as thousands of people try to reach a dwindling number of evacuation flights.

The US government and its allies raised the alarm with a series of coordinated and specific advisories for their citizens to avoid the airport.

“Those at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate now should leave immediately,” said the US State Department, citing unspecified “security threats”.

Australia's department of foreign affairs said there was an “ongoing and very high threat of terrorist attack”. “Do not travel to Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport. If you're in the area of the airport, move to a safe location and await further advice.”

London issued a similar warning, adding “if you can leave Afghanistan safely by other means, you should do so immediately”.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3Do9UmQ

Ramiz Raja says PM Imran's nominated him for PCB chairmanship

Cricketer-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja could soon embark on a new career in sports administration as he says he has been nominated by Prime Minister Imran Khan to become the next chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Raja confirmed to "have been informed by the Prime Minister's Office" that he is PM Imran's choice to take over the PCB from Ehsan Mani.

Raja said an official notification of his nomination by the prime minister, also the PCB's patron-in-chief, will be issued soon, following which he would contest PCB elections and become the new chairman of the board.

Meanwhile, Mani, whose three-year term ended on Wednesday, is all but out of the door as a senior PCB official, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that "he will not be continuing as the PCB chairman."

It is pertinent to mention here that the practice of the government's head nominating PCB chairmen is in stark contrast to PM Imran's former position on the subject. Back in 2015, he had demanded a "democratically elected cricket board", saying that the PCB would be powerful only if it had elected officials.

Raja's nomination, if true, comes after PM Imran held separate meetings with both Mani and Raja earlier this week.

Sources said the prime minister wanted to replace Mani, who had sought a second term to complete "unfinished" tasks.

A source said Mani was a bit "off colour" when he came out of the PM’s Office after the meeting.

After meeting Mani, the prime minister met Ramiz who also served Pakistan captain during his playing days.

Earlier, sources had said that the prime minister would approve two names for PCB’s Board of Governors and there are certain chances that both Mani and Ramiz will be nominated as BoG members as only a member of the Board of Governors can contest elections for the post of PCB chairman.

There are chances that Mani will retain his position as the BoG member and another member Asad Ali Khan will be replaced by Ramiz, sources had revealed.

Meanwhile, sources said during his meeting with Mani, the prime minister showed his displeasure over Pakistan’s poor performance in England where the national team lost the T20 series 1-2 besides suffering a 0-3 ODI whitewash in July this year.

Mani was appointed as BoG member by the prime minister three years ago, and subsequently he contested and won elections to become PCB head in September 2018, replacing Najam Sethi who had resigned.

During three years as PCB chairman, Mani who also served as the president of the International Cricket Council played good role for restoring international cricket in Pakistan. On the other hand, the transformation of the domestic structure which ended departments’ role in the game resulting in many departmental cricketers getting jobless also took place during his time in office.

Mani also got PCB’s new constitution approved.

However during his tenure, club cricket faced a tough challenge as there was no recognised and approved contest at club level, which is the nursery of cricket.

While the PCB is yet to complete the registration process of the six newly formed provincial associations. Besides gradually bringing the Pakistan Super League T20 tournament, PCB’s flagship event, to Pakistan from 2019 and afterwards, the Mani-led PCB regime also submitted expression of interest for hosting six international events during the 2024-2031 ICC Future Tours Programme.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/38gjKJk

PM Imran to launch his Govt,s 3 years performance today

Marking the three years since the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government, Prime Minister Imran Khan will Thursday (today) address the nation to highlight the key achievements. On its Twitter account earlier today, the prime minister office said the premier will launch the three-year report today. PM Imran Khan will launch the Three-year Performance Report (2018-21) to give an insight into the efforts of each ministry and division.The event will be held at Convention Centre Islamabad to recall the government’s milestones and targets achieved in three years. The Report 2018-21,…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3znNO1x

Corona claims 85 more lives in last 24 hrs

Over 4,500 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours in Pakistan.This was revealed by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Thursday. Meanwhile, another 85 people lost their lives to the virus.

As many as 4,553 people tested positive for the virus after 61,446 COVID-19 tests were taken, as per the NCOC's data. This brings the positivity rate to 7.4%.
The total number of active cases in the country rose to 92,244 on August 26.

A total of 1,022,847 people have so far recovered from the virus while the total number of deaths, with the fresh count of 85 fatalities, have risen to 25,320.

Read more: Pakistan records highest daily coronavirus death toll in nearly four months

Pakistan's total confirmed case count now stands at 1,140,411.

A day earlier, Pakistan reported 141 coronavirus-related deaths, the highest number of fatalities recorded in one day since 161 deaths were recorded nearly four months ago on May 4.

Pakistan has administered at least 47,802,106 doses of COVID vaccines so far. Assuming every person needs two doses, that’s enough to have vaccinated about 11% of the country’s population.

During the last week reported, Pakistan averaged about 544,485 doses administered each day. At that rate, it will take a further 80 days to administer enough doses for another 10% of the population.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3ygXbik

WhatsApp has started working on a new message feature

WhatsApp has started working on a new message feature that will allow users to send reactions to messages. According to WABetainfo, the instant messaging platform's move is an unexpected one, considering how WhatsApp has been working on introducing new features over the past few months but has not done the same for its messaging functions. "You already know what is a reaction: it’s usually an emoji that you can place on a message to express emotions. Instagram, Twitter, iMessage already support message reactions and today we can start to discover…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3jiQpEc

Facebook decided to bring back audio and video call option for users

Facebook has decided to bring back the audio and video call option to the main app. According to a report by Bloomberg, the feature will allow users to make video or audio calls to their Facebook friends via the main Facebook app. The feature is expected to be introduced soon. Chats, however, are not being brought back to the main app and users will still have to download Messenger if they wish to chat with Facebook friends. Earlier versions of Facebook had allowed users to chat with friends while browsing…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/2WhmpQN

K-Electric offered to set-up a short-term hot desk to facilitate members KCCI

K-Electric has offered to set-up a short-term hot desk to facilitate the members of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI). The KE officials extended the offer during their visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday. During the visit, the KE officials briefed the business community of Karachi on new connection procedures, mechanism of withholding tax and time of use (ToU) metering. The KE management apprised the businessmen of the initiatives taken by the utility to overcome the challenges faced by the industry as well…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3sMXyzN

Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq tested positive for coronavirus

Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq on Wednesday tested positive for coronavirus, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said, and he will now be restricted to complete his 10-day quarantine in Jamaica. The head coach — who is asymptomatic — will not be departing for Lahore with his side later today, the PCB statement said. Misbah will leave for Pakistan after concluding his quarantine period. Misbah was the only Pakistan squad member who failed two pre-departure PCR tests. All other members will leave Jamaica as per schedule later today. "The PCB is constantly in…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3yhkTLg

FM Qureshi emphasises need for 'close coordination' on Afghanistan in regional diplomacy tour

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday emphasised the need for "close coordination" on the situation in Afghanistan as he began a four-nation regional diplomacy tour.

A day earlier, Qureshi left for a visit to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran in order to share Pakistan’s perspective on the latest developments in the war-torn neighbouring country.

In his meeting with Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov in Tashkent, Qureshi discussed the regional security situation, particularly the evolving Afghanistan situation, according to a statement from the Foreign Office (FO).

"Emphasising Pakistan’s support for an inclusive political setup, the foreign minister remarked that peace in Afghanistan would bring stability in the region, promote trade and facilitate people to people linkages," the FO statement reads.

"It was therefore important that neighbours of Afghanistan coordinate closely on the situation in Afghanistan."

The two also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, which they said had transformed into a "strategic partnership" due to recent frequent high-level exchanges.

They agreed to follow up on the implementation of decisions taken during Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to Uzbekistan.

"The two foreign ministers agreed to continue consultations to advance shared objectives of a peaceful, prosperous and connected region," the FO statement said.

Later in the day, Qureshi also met Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during which he conveyed Prime Minister Imran's warm greetings and reiterated Pakistan's commitment to enhance bilateral ties in all areas of mutual interests.

For his part, President Mirziyoyev termed his country's relations with Pakistan "important". He stressed that Uzbekistan was keen to develop ties with Pakistan, especially in the areas of transport and connectivity, according to an FO statement.

He agreed with Qureshi that "regional connectivity, trade and economy will be further enhanced with the peace in Afghanistan."

The president was looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Imran on the sidelines of the forthcoming SCO summit in Dushanbe next month to discuss issues of mutual interest, the FO statement added.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3gxERLz

G7 leaders to hold Taliban 'accountable' on human rights, terrorism

An emergency meeting of the G7 leaders on Tuesday agreed that the Taliban will be held accountable for their actions in Afghanistan on protecting women's rights and preventing terrorism. "We reaffirm that the Taliban will be held accountable for their actions on preventing terrorism, on human rights, in particular, those of women, girls and minorities and on pursuing an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan," said a statement issued by Downing Street after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson convened the meeting. The Taliban must "guarantee" safe passage for those fleeing Afghanistan…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3jeLl3J

'Ashamed and pained' at Minar-i-Pakistan assault incident: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said he was "ashamed and pained" by the assault of a female TikToker by hundreds of men near Minar-i-Pakistan earlier this month, citing the lack of proper upbringing as a "very big reason for the destruction we are seeing in society".

In his first public remarks since the August 14 incident that sparked outrage across the country, the premier said the incidents of harassment and the sex crimes that were taking place now were "not a part of our culture or religion".

He made the comments while addressing the Punjab Education Convention 2021 in Lahore.

"When I was growing up, nobody could have thought that acts like this would happen [in Pakistan]. I have been to the entire world; the respect for women I saw while growing up existed in Muslim countries but not in the West. A big reason for the destruction we're seeing is that our children are not being brought up properly," he noted.

The prime minister highlighted the need to train children properly and teach them Seerat-un-Nabi — biographies of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) — since he said children's exposure to things was greater than ever before in human history because of mobile phones.

"It is very necessary to train our children and there is only one way to do that — make them aware of the life of the Prophet [Muhammad]," he said, adding that children should be taught about the qualities that set the Prophet apart, including his honesty and righteousness.

Criticism of English-medium system

At the outset of his speech, Prime Minister Imran praised the Punjab government for "doing what no other province is doing". He termed the provincial government's work in the education sector "very important", saying education had not been a priority for previous governments.

He strongly criticised the English-medium educational system, saying it was inherited from the British, who built such schools to "create a class in India which is Indian in colour but thinks like us (the British), has our attitudes and through whom we can govern such a big continent".

Talking about his own experience, he recalled that when he graduated from Aitchison College and went to England for further studies, he felt like "I was made an English public-school boy, not a Pakistani. I was distanced from my culture and my religion through that educational system."

The premier said after independence from the British, Pakistan should have turned its focus on correcting the education system and developing a system to "create the nation".

Instead, three different education systems were formed: madressahs, Urdu-medium schools and English-medium schools for a select class, he added.

"The English medium [system] evolved in such a way that there was less emphasis on education and more emphasis on creating desi vilayati (local foreigners). The attitudes and mental slavery of another culture were absorbed."

The English medium system was not changed because politicians believed their children would be "privileged and get status in society" through it. As a result, English medium schools were increased, he added.

Single National Curriculum

"Our fault was that we did not develop a government education system. The private school system made us the slave of another culture," he said while terming the Single National Curriculum a "very big change".

He predicted that a time would come when people would realise that the Single National Curriculum was a "turning point".

The prime minister also criticised the use of English in functions, saying: "An entire function is held in English because of two ambassadors and it is being aired on TV which is being watched by the common man. How big an insult it is to our people who don't know English."

He said 80 per cent of the country's population did not understand English, questioning: "What are you telling them, that you're some low nation?"

He said the people's self-esteem was being "lowered" because of holding functions in English instead of Urdu.

English should not be a "status symbol", the premier stressed.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3BdyEwe

In visit to GHQ, President Alvi acknowledges army's 'unparalleled contribution and sacrifices'

President Dr Arif Alvi acknowledged Pakistan Army's "unparalleled contribution and sacrifices" for the country's security during a visit to general headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, according to a statement from the military's media wing.

"President [Alvi] acknowledged [the] unparalleled contribution and sacrifices rendered by [the] Pakistan Army towards [the] external and internal security of Pakistan," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.

"He also commended [the] army’s prowess in the field of information technology and coordination mechanisms with other services/stakeholders."

The president was received by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa upon his arrival at the GHQ and presented with a guard of honour, the statement added.

He also laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs Monument and offered prayers.

The ISPR statement said the president and COAS discussed matters of national security and regional developments. The president was also apprised of the army's operational preparedness and given a briefing on cyber security by the military's communication and information technology branch.

Last week, Gen Bajwa said hostile forces were "trying to weaken the society and state through a hybrid war", adding that Pakistan Army was "fully cognisant" of the challenges and was prepared to tackle them.

"We will ensure the country's defence by focusing on core competencies and technology," he had said while addressing cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy, reminding them that "only strong armed forces can guarantee the defence of the motherland."

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3jewx5a

WHO says only has week of medical supplies left in Afghanistan

The World Health Organisation warned on Tuesday that it has enough medical supplies to last it “one week”, following the blistering Taliban takeover of Afghanistan's capital Kabul 10 days ago.

“WHO now only has enough supplies in-country to last for one week,” said Ahmed al-Mandhari, the head of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region — stretching from Morocco to Afghanistan.

“Yesterday, 70 per cent of these supplies were released to health facilities,” he added.

Mandhari said that 500 metric tonnes of medicines and supplies stored in Dubai were unable to be delivered due to the chaotic evacuation efforts at Kabul airport which does not have the capacity to receive commercial flights.

“Countries sending in empty planes to pick up evacuees do not feel they are able to help,” Mandhari said.

Testing, vaccinations drop

The UN agency was also concerned the current upheaval in Afghanistan could push up Covid-19 infections, with testing dropping by 77pc in the past week and vaccinations also down, officials from the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean office said.

The WHO officials, in an online briefing, said 95pc of health facilities in Afghanistan remained operational but that some female staff had not returned to their posts and some female patients were now afraid to leave their homes.

After a major scaling back the WHO was stabilising its operations, said Richard Brennan, the WHO's regional emergency director.

“We have had some encouraging signs and encouraging communications, that the Taliban authorities have made it clear that they want the United Nations to stay, that they want the continuity of health services,” he said.

“We remain cautiously optimistic that we will be able to get our operation back at increasing scale over the coming weeks.”

On Sunday, the WHO and Unicef jointly called for an “immediate establishment of a reliable and robust humanitarian air-bridge to send in supplies”.

“Even prior to the events of the past weeks, Afghanistan represented the world's third-largest humanitarian operation, with over 18 million people requiring assistance,” the Sunday statement added.

US-led troops have ramped up operations to get thousands of people out of Kabul, after the Taliban warned they would not allow the United States to extend an August 31 deadline for a complete withdrawal.

About 50,000 foreigners and Afghans have fled the country from Kabul's airport since the Taliban swept into power 10 days ago, according to the US government.

Many Afghans fear a repeat of the brutal law that the Taliban implemented when first in power from 1996-2001, or retribution for working with the US-backed government over the past two decades.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3sKz76f

Samsung announces $205 billion investment plan

Samsung Group unveiled a $205 billion investment blueprint on Tuesday aimed at making the company a leader in a range of technologies from semiconductors to robotics and creating 40,000 new jobs.

The tech giant is South Korea’s largest conglomerate and its overall turnover is equivalent to a fifth of the national gross domestic product. Samsung Electronics, its flagship subsidiary, is the world’s biggest smartphone maker.

The plan will “help Samsung strengthen its global standing in key industries while spearheading innovation in new fields”, the company said in a statement, adding that it will also pursue corporate acquisitions.

On the semiconductor front, the firm said it will seek to enhance cutting-edge technologies to meet “long-term demand rather than short-term changes”.

It is also looking to expand its biopharmaceutical business run by Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepisit.

The conglomerate said it would build two new manufacturing plants on top of three currently in operation with a view to tapping into the manufacturing of vaccines.

Of the 240 trillion won ($205 billion) it plans to spend, it will commit 180 trillion won to South Korea.

The domestic investment is expected to create another 10,000 jobs on top of 30,000 already planned. It could also induce as many as 560,000 new hirings in related industries, it said.

The announcement comes just days after Lee Jae-yong, the de-facto leader of the conglomerate, walked out of prison on parole after completing only about half of his jail term.

It was the latest instance of the country’s long tradition of freeing business leaders on economic grounds after imprisonment for corruption or tax evasion.

Lee was serving a two-and-a-half year prison sentence for bribery, embezzlement and other offences in connection with a corruption scandal that brought down former South Korean president Park Geun-hye.

But his parole is not the end of his legal travails: he remains on trial over alleged stock manipulation that effectively eased his path to take control of the family conglomerate

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3zis3Ab

Instagram rolls out on shop tab

Instagram will launch advertising on its Shop feature globally, the Facebook-owned app said on Tuesday, as it seeks to earn more money from brands hoping to reach new customers.

Instagram Shop is a tab on the photo and video sharing app that lets users browse items such as clothes and beauty products and in some cases purchase the items directly within the Instagram app.

Users can click on an Instagram Shop ad to view more details about the product, browse additional items from the brand or save the product to a wishlist.

The company began testing the ads earlier this month with a few select advertisers, but the feature is now open to brands globally wherever Shop is available.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3Bdg87r

Bilawal questions PTI about management of EVMs after RTS debacle

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday on Tuesday questioned how would the PTI handle the Electronic Voting Machines when they can’t deal with the Results Transmission System (RTS).

"PTI is trying its best to steal votes as the party sees its defeat in the next elections", said Bilawal while addressing a press conference in Karachi.

The PPP chairman also slammed Prime Minister Imran Khan for not providing "a single drop of water" to Karachi, adding that the PTI-led government did nothing for the development of Sindh.

"Imran Khan neither provided Sindh with a single drop of water nor did he lay a single brick in the last three years," said the PPP chairman.

“We [PPP] tried to resolve Sindh’s water issues using the province's resources,” said Bilawal, adding that the citizens of Karachi are witnessing the efforts employed by the Sindh government.

Instead of providing the people with greater job opportunities, the current rulers of Pakistan are depriving them of their sources of income, he added.

He went on to say that PM Imran Khan’s "incompetence has led to a rise in unemployment in the country."

Bilawal asserted that the people of Sindh have recognised that both PTI and MQM have neither done anything on their own nor let anyone else do it.

Speaking about the local government elections, the PPP chairman said that the local body system in Sindh has completed its tenure.

“The local body system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa completed its tenure as well but a contempt of court is being made in Punjab,” said Bilawal.

He said that the PPP is ready for the new local body election as soon as the census and constituencies issues are resolved.

While referring to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) rallies, Bilawal said that the people should not expect him to comment on them.

"The PPP informed the PDM leaders about the constitutional way of doing things, therefore, they have the right to organise rallies," he said.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3sH8Plp

No extensions for US evacuations in Afghanistan: Zabihullah Mujahid

A Taliban spokesman says the US must complete its evacuation of people from Afghanistan by the August 31 date the Biden administration set for the withdrawal of all American troops.

Addressing a press conference, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group would accept no extensions to the deadline. He said life was returning to normal in the country but chaos at the airport remained a problem.

Many Afghans are desperate to flee the Taliban takeover of the country.

The spokesman said the United States should stop evacuating skilled Afghans, and warned Western forces against extending the Aug 31 deadline for airlifts out of the country.

 The group said Americans were taking “Afghan experts” such as engineers out of the country.

“They have planes, they have the airport, they should get their citizens and contractors out of here,” said Mujahid.

The Taliban leader also said female Afghan government workers should stay home until security conditions in the country improved.

US-led troops have ramped up operations to get thousands of people out of Kabul, after the Taliban warned they would not allow the US to extend the deadline for a complete withdrawal.

President Biden has said he would stick to the schedule, but faced growing pressure to negotiate more time for the evacuations.

Germany said on Tuesday that Western allies simply could not fly every Afghan who needed protection out of Kabul before the cut-off date.

“Even if [the evacuation] goes on until August 31 or even a few days longer, it will not be enough to allow those who we, or the United States, want to fly out,” Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Bild TV.

Earlier, France said it would have to end evacuations from Kabul's airport on Thursday if the US stuck to the deadline, and Spain said it would not be able to rescue all Afghans who served Spanish missions.

Britain, meanwhile, has said it will lobby for an extension at a virtual G7 summit later on Tuesday.

'Not aware' of Taliban-CIA meeting

Mujahid during the news conference said he was not aware of any meeting between the Taliban and the CIA, but he did not deny that such a meeting took place.

Earlier in the day, the Washington Post reported that CIA chief William Burns held a secret meeting in Kabul with Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Monday.

The meeting, which if confirmed will have been the highest-level encounter between the Taliban and the Biden administration since the group's return to power, came as efforts to evacuate thousands of people from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan became increasingly urgent.

Burns is one of US President Joe Biden's most experienced diplomats, while Baradar, who headed the Taliban's political office in Qatar, is one of the top leaders in the regime that has taken power in Kabul.

A spokesperson for the CIA would not confirm the meeting to AFP, saying that the agency “never discusses the director's travels”.

The Washington Post, which cited anonymous US sources for the meeting, did not describe the content of the discussions between the Taliban co-founder and the CIA boss.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/2WjaMbE

MIFTAH ISMAIL RESIGNS FROM PARTY POST OVER LACK OF ACTION ON VANDALISM

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Sindh’s Secretary and former finance minister Miftah Ismail has tendered resignation from his party office, citing sources.

Miftah Ismail has dispatched the copy of his resignation from the PML-N Sindh office to the party’s supremo Nawaz Sharif and President PML-N Shehbaz Sharif, sources said.

According to sources, Miftah Ismail was disappointed over lack of action by the party leadership against the people vandalizing the party’s office in Karachi in a recent incident.

Party’s President Shehbaz Sharif had formed a committee to inquire into the rioting incident at the party’s office, Muslim League House, in Karsaz.

PML-N spokesperson while replying a question of media said that she was unaware about resignation of Ismail from the party office.

It is pertinent to mention here that enraged party workers of the PML-N recently in Karachi stormed in the party office and vandalized it, smashed windowpanes, and tore posters of the party’s provincial leadership, to protest over distribution of party tickets for the local government elections in cantonment boards in Karachi.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3zi2XRZ

Is Shahid Afridi replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed as Quetta Gladiators captain next PSL?

Quetta Gladiators owner Nadeem Omar on Tuesday said that former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi told him that he would join his Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise for the seventh season of the tournament.

"Shahid Afridi has also remained a part of the Galle Gladiators (a team which Omar owns as well) in the Lankan Premier League," the franchise owner said.

Omar said former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed is the incumbent captain, but if he were to voluntarily step down, "we can appoint Afridi in his place".

"In technique, Sarfaraz is number one," Omar added.

Quetta Gladiators' dream of winning a second PSL title was snuffed out last month after they crashed out of the tournament with Multan Sultans defeating them.

The Sarfaraz-led side did not perform well in the PSL 6, winning only two of the 10 matches they played in the tournament — finishing at the bottom of the points table.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/2WkI3n4

Pakistan conducts successful test of 'indigenously developed' Fatah-1 guided MLRS: ISPR

Pakistan Army on Tuesday conducted a successful test of indigenously developed “Fatah-1” guided Multi Launch Rocket System (MLRS), according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The military's media wing, in a statement, said the extended-range rocket system was capable of delivering a conventional warhead.

“The weapon system will give Pakistan Army capability of precision target engagement deep in enemy territory,” the ISPR added.

#Pakistan today conducted a successful test flight of indigenously developed #Fatah-1 (Guided Multi Launch Rocket System), capable of delivering a conventional Warhead. The Weapon System will give Pakistan Army capability of precision target engagement deep in enemy territory. pic.twitter.com/TnFfXmceau

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 24, 2021

The president, prime minister, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee and the chief of army staff congratulated the participating troops and scientists on the successful launch.

The guided MLRS was primarily developed to hit targets without leaving behind unexploded ordnance. The extended range guided MLRS is a developed variant of the guided MLRS family, usually with an extended range of up to 150km.

The development of a conventional system by Pakistan seems to be a response to the Indian focus on the development of its conventional capabilities, besides improving response options to India’s Cold Start Doctrine.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3koBqrV

Unvaccinated people cannot come to paksitan after sept 30

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms and the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) head Asad Umar has said that unvaccinated people against COVID-19 cannot travel to Pakistan after September 30. Flanked by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health, Dr Faisal Sultan, NCOC head Asad Umar while announcing the new restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19 said that people who remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 cannot come or department from Pakistan after September 30.“Vaccination has been declared mandatory after September 30 for inbound and outbound passengers.” He said…

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3ze59tP

No role for therapy workers in Noor muqadam case: Court

Islamabad court has approved the bail request of Therapy Works CEO Tahir Zahoor in the Noor Mukadam murder case.

On August 14, the Islamabad police arrested the owner and five employees of Therapy Works, an organisation where prime suspect Zahir Jaffer reportedly worked as a therapist. They were taken into custody on charges of concealing evidence.

In a hearing on Monday, Additional Sessions Judge Ata Rabbani heard the bail pleas of Tahir Zahoor, Chief Executive Officer of Therapy Works, and five other accused in the case.

Tahir Zahoor has only been accused of hiding the evidence but he wasn’t present at the site of the murder, his lawyer Zafarullah told the court. He said that his client is 73 years old and suffers from diabetes, along with heart and kidney diseases.

Therapy Works employees had initially detained Zahir Jaffer and then handed him over to the police, the lawyer argued, adding that the charges against him are bailable.

The court had approved the bail to all the six employees, including Dr Tahir Zahoor, CEO of Therapy Works and ordered them to submit a bond of Rs 500,000 each.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3D8WivX

Corona claims 91 more lives in pakistan within a day

The COVID-19 has claimed 91 more lives during the past 24 hours, taking the country’s overall death toll to 25,094.

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has risen to 1,131,659 after the emergence of 4,075 new infections.
Overall 1,015,519 have recovered from the pandemic, adding that the positivity rate of infections was recorded at 6.79 per cent.
The COVID-19 claimed 91 more lives across Pakistan in the last 24 hours, the NCOC said, adding that 5,513 people are in critical condition.

Overall 17,336,393 tests have been conducted so far to diagnose the deadly virus in Pakistan including 59,943 in the past 24 hours.
Sindh province is the most affected region of the country with 422,418 infections, followed by the Punjab province which has reported 382,332 cases.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains third on the list with 157,721 cases. Islamabad, 96,771, Balochistan, 31,865, AJK, 30,865 and GB have reported 9,687 new infections, so far.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3gulnrs

PM Imran Khan hints at appointing Ramiz Raja as new PCB chief: sources

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday hinted at appointing former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja as the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), sources said.

The development came during a meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan, PCB sitting Chairman Ehsan Mani and former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja at the PM Office today.

PCB chairman has been informed that he would not be given another term in the office, the well-informed sources said, adding that PM Imran Khan will recommend Ramiz Raja’s name to the PCB's governing board for the coveted post.

After meeting with the prime minister, Ehsan Mani left without speaking to the media, said the sources.

Earlier, PCB sitting Chairman Ehsan Mani and former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja Monday arrived at the PM Office to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Mani's term as PCB chief is ending on August 25. The sources said the prime minister has decided to appoint former cricketer Ramiz Raja, who is likely to be given the task to implement Imran Khan's vision.

A quick look at his three-year tenure in office reveals many ups and downs for the country’s cricket.

Though a few encouraging steps were taken to streamline the system, the general revamping pace has been too slow and casual.

The PCB chairman’s first objective was to get a fresh constitution for the board which he succeeded in having according to his vision of a professional institution. Two years have passed since the PCB has adopted the document, yet fans are still waiting for the complete implementation, starting from the grassroots to the provincial level.

For the first time in the country’s cricket history, there has been no recognised and approved competition at the club level.

The PCB entirely controls the powers from Lahore rather than devolving it to the provinces, cities and to the clubs-which is the watchword of the new constitution.

The management's policy of letting selectors and city association coaches shape city teams for premier competition based on their likes and dislikes, has also been widely criticised. No proper criteria have been placed to judge the current form, fitness, and quality of players who were included in teams to play inter-city competitions.

The PCB has yet to attract sponsors to support provincial associations. Leading departments have already refused to be part of this practice.

Pakistan’s performance has not been consistent. The never-ending trend of snatching defeat from jaws of victory goes unchecked.

Amid all these weaknesses, flaws, and the lack of efforts put in to achieve desired goals, the PCB under Mani has succeeded in bringing international cricket back to the country.

The PCB also successfully met the challenges posed by the Covid-19 by hosting domestic and international cricket, as well as touring various countries to ensure cricket continues to grow and develop.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3yaE4X7

Malaysia’s new PM strikes conciliatory tone in first address

Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob struck a conciliatory tone in his first national address on Sunday, saying he would embrace the opposition in an effort to tackle the runaway pandemic and revive a slumping economy.

A day after being sworn in, Ismail said the political battles that led to a change of government twice since 2018 elections had been detrimental to the country and distressed the public.

Let us move forward. Let us stem this grab for political power, he said, urging all lawmakers to find common ground and work together to help the nation recover.

The new prime minister, 61, said he would invite the opposition to be part of the National Recovery Council and the committee combating Covid-19.

"Political stability must be swiftly achieved through unity, and this includes cross-party cooperation,” he said.

Many view Ismail’s appointment as a return to the status quo. He was the deputy prime minister under the government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned after less than 18 months in office as infighting in his coalition cost him majority support.

Ismail has sought to set himself apart from Muhyiddin’s government, which has been blamed for failing to curb the pandemic despite a seven-month state of emergency and a lockdown since June.

Ismail obtained the backing of 114 lawmakers for a slender majority one that also brought Muhyiddin’s alliance back to power and returned the premiership to Ismail’s United Malays National Organisation. The party led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957 but was ousted in 2018 elections amid a multibillion-dollar financial scandal.

Ismail said the government will purchase an addition six million doses of coronavirus vaccines, which will arrive next month to boost vaccination efforts. He did not provide further details. He said he believes that once the nation achieves herd immunity, the virus will no longer pose a serious threat. More than half of Malaysia’s adult population is fully vaccinated.

Daily new infections have more than doubled since June to hit a record 23,564 on Friday, bringing the country’s total to over 1.5 million cases. Deaths have surged to above 13,000. The central bank cut its estimated growth forecast this year to between 3pc and 4pc due to the lockdown.

Ismail said he understands the public is suffering, as thousands have lost their livelihoods. He said his government will introduce new policies to raise purchasing power and bolster the private sector.

Let us together, as one big Malaysian family, work to return Malaysia to its level of prosperity we were all once accustomed to. I pledge to work with the people,” he said.

Muhyiddin pulled his party out of the reformist alliance that won 2018 elections, and formed a new government in March 2020 with UMNO and several other parties.

But UMNO was unhappy at playing second fiddle to Muhyiddin’s smaller party. In the end, 15 UMNO lawmakers pulled support for Muhyiddin, causing his government to collapse.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3z6Ozfj

No hostile intent toward North Korea: US envoy in visit to Seoul

The United States does not have hostile intent toward Pyongyang and is open to meeting any time and any place, Washington's special envoy for North Korea said on Monday during a visit to South Korea.

Sung Kim arrived in Seoul on Saturday for a four-day visit.

The visit comes as a brief thaw in inter-Korean relations in July gave way to a new standoff over US-South Korean military exercises that North Korea has warned could trigger a security crisis.

"The United States does not have hostile intent toward [North Korea]," Kim told reporters after meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Noh Kyu-duk.

"The ongoing [US-South Korea] combined military exercises are longstanding, routine, and purely defensive in nature and support the security of both our countries."

Noh said the pair discussed possible humanitarian aid to North Korea, as well as ways to restart stalled denuclearisation talks.

"We agreed to work together to resume dialogue with North Korea as soon as possible," he said.

On Sunday, Kim met with Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong at the minister's residence, where they discussed ways for a speedy resumption of the peace process on the Korean peninsula, a foreign ministry official said.

The US envoy is expected to meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov on Tuesday in Seoul.

The nine-day joint military exercise began on August 16, with silence so far from North Korean state media despite fears that the country could conduct a missile test or take other actions to underscore its disapproval.

North Korea has said it is open to diplomacy, but that the American overtures appear hollow while "hostile acts" such as the drills continue

US President Joe Biden's administration has said it will explore diplomacy to achieve North Korean denuclearisation but has shown no willingness to ease sanctions.

The United States is supportive of efforts to improve ties between the two Koreas and remains open to direct talks with North Korea, Kim said.

"I continue to stand ready to meet with my North Korean counterparts anywhere at any time," he said.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/3yaBVe6