2023 general election will be held under new census: Asad Umar

Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar announced on Saturday that the 2023 general elections will be held under a new census.

Criticising the Sindh government, Umar said: "The Sindh government had collected all the census data themselves, however, they still protested."

The minister stated that for the "first time in [Pakistan's] history, the census would be conducted using technology". The census would begin in September and would be conducted during a period of 18 months.

He said that the federal government has provided vaccines worth more than Rs10 billion for Karachi, however, the provincial government has so far failed to provide a single dose of the vaccine.

Announcing good news for Karachiites, the federal minister revealed that the Green Line will be opened for the people next month.

In April, the federal government approved the official release of the Census-2017 results which had been withheld for the last couple of years.

Umar had said: "Since elections are held based on the census, we will begin preparations for the next census in September or October this year."

"We will complete the new census by March 23," Umar had announced. "The government will also form constituencies based on the new census data before the general elections of 2023."

While Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had insisted on releasing the census data, Sindh demanded the census be held anew in the province so that the consolidated data could be released together.

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Polling underway for cantonment board elections across Pakistan

Voting is underway in 41 cantonment boards across Pakistan, with 1,560 candidates contesting against each other in 206 wards.

The polling began at 8am and will continue until 5pm without any interruptions.

Seven candidates have been elected unopposed so far. The election will not take place in Kamra Cantonment Board, whiile polls have been postponed in one ward each in Rawalpindi and Pano Aqil.

Most of the candidates — 684 — are independent, while as many as 876 belong to different political parties. The ruling PTI has fielded the most candidates — 183.

Similarly, the PML-N has fielded 144, PPP 113, JI 104, the outlawed TLP 83, MQM-P 42, PSP 35, PML-Q 34, and JUI-F 25 candidates.

Meanwhile, in 20 of Punjab's cantonment boards, four candidates — two each from Multan and Attock — have been elected unopposed, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said.

Mohammad Salman Iqbal, Saima Aashiq, Mohammad Yaqub Nasir, and Mohammad Sadiq have been elected unopposed as councilors, the ECP said.

Therefore, of the 114 of Punjab's cantonment boards, polling will take place in 110, the Election Commission said.

Meanwhile, in Kamra Cantonment Board, no candidate has filed nomination papers in all four of the wards and therefore, polling will not take place there.

It is pertinent to mention here that not a single woman candidate is contesting elections in Lahore. However, 357 polling stations have been set up for 606,628 voters in the city. 269 candidates are contesting elections for 20 wards in Lahore. Out of the total, 241 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 44 most sensitive.

As many as 923 candidates will take part in elections across Punjab.

In Quetta, 35 candidates are contesting for five wards. 31 polling stations have been sut up for 28,945 voters. In total, 15,346 male and 13,599 female voters will exercise their democratic right in the city today.

In Karachi, pollling is underway across 42 wards of six cantonment boards. A total 350 candidates are contesting elections in the metropolis. The administration has set up 288 polling statlions for the polling process in the city.

Meanwhile, elections are underway in 10 wards each in Gujranwala, Hyderabad, Sargodha and Abbottabad and seven wards of Multan and in other cities.

Just two days before the elections, tension prevailed in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi after members of two political parties — the PTI and the PSP — clashed Friday night.

The incident took place when workers of the PTI and the PSP were held rallies ahead of the upcoming elections.

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20th anniversary: September 11 affected the entire nation

The fear assaults of September 11, 2001 were based on the East Coast, yet its impact was felt in virtually all edges of the country. In front of Saturday’s commemoration, paper editors around the US are distributing amazing front pages with remarkable stories that catch how nearby networks are as yet wrestling with the misfortune 20 years after the fact. Tim Cotter, leader manager of The Day in New London, Connecticut, said that his staff contacted individuals nearby in front of the commemoration so they could highlight their own accounts.…

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The economy is still a long way from normal

Back in the spring, as the speed of inoculations expanded quickly and development expectations improved, organizations were cheerful that by the fall financial action would to a great extent have returned to typical. Indeed, September has shown up yet the getting back to typical that many expected remaining parts tricky. On Thursday, Microsoft (MSFT) rejected designs to completely resume US workplaces one month from now in view of worries about the Delta variation. Many organizations had made arrangements for representatives to return after Labor Day, yet that cutoff time has…

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Quaid Azam's Death anniversary being observed today

The 73rd death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is being observed today (Saturday) with reverence and solemnity across the country.

Quran Khawani and Fateha was held at Quaid’s mausoleum in Karachi. Various programmes have been planned to mark the day.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited the mausoleum of father of the nation this morning and offered Fateha.

Speaking to the media outside the mausoleum, they reiterated their resolve to navigate the challenges and problems facing Pakistan and make it a prosperous country by following Quaid’s principles.

Born on Dec 25, 1876, Mr Jinnah led a struggle for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Sub-continent. He served as leader of the All India Muslim League (AIML) from 1913 until Pakistan came into existence.

He served as Pakistan’s first governor general till his death on Sept 11, 1948.

 

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Corona claims 82 more lives, 3,480 fresh cases reports in a day

Pakistan reported as many as 3,480 new cases of the COVID-19, during the last 24 hours, pushing the overall number of infections to 1,201,367, said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday.

With 82 more deaths, during the said period, the death toll rose to 26,662.
A total of 63,181 samples were tested during the previous 24 hours, out of which 3,480 turned out to be positive, taking the country’s caseload to 1,201,367.
A decline was recorded in the positivity rate to 5.5% as compared to yesterday’s 6.03 per cent, the NCOC said.

The number of patients recovering from the infection climbed to 1,079,867.

Yesterday, NCOC head Asad Umar had said as many as 50 million citizens received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine while more than 20 million had been fully vaccinated against the viral disease.

“In the early days of the vaccination campaign we had set a daunting target of vaccinating 7 crore people by the end of this year,” the planning and development minister had said in a post on his official Twitter handle.

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Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad can be changed if need be: Chief Selector

The Pakistani squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup can be changed if need be, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Selector Mohammad Wasim said Friday.

The chief selector  said the management had not mulled over changing the T20 squad, and hoped the team could reach the tournament's finals.

"I can see the team playing in the semi-finals and finals of the T20 World Cup [...] we can win this T20 World Cup," the chief selector said.

The PCB had come under fire after announcing the squad,  sources said  that skipper Babar Azam was unhappy over the team selection.

Former Pakistani cricket team captain Shahid Afridi had also termed Pakistan’s T20 squad selection "surprising", saying the selection of some players and dropping a few would have made the squad "perfect".

However, reacting to the reports of Azam being unhappy with the squad, the PCB termed them as "factually incorrect".

"It has come to our notice that factually incorrect reports are circulating about the Pakistan national squad environment," PCB CEO Wasim Khan said in a statement earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the chief selector said expected PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja cannot interfere in the team selection process. "I have not spoken to Raja about the new selection committee."

Talking about all-rounder Shadab Khan, the chief selector said there were doubts over his performance and fitness, but he had gained rhythm during the recently concluded West Indies series.

"It is not right to say that Wasim Akram had helped me land a job in the board [...] after becoming the chief selector, my contact with him has reduced," Wasim added.

 

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Biden and Xi discuss avoiding conflict in first phone call in 7 months

US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke for 90 minutes in their first talks in seven months on Thursday, discussing the need to avoid letting competition between the world's two largest economies veer into conflict.

The US side said the "proof will be in the pudding" as to whether the stalemate can be broken with relations between the superpowers languishing at their lowest point in decades.

A White House statement said Biden and Xi had "a broad, strategic discussion," including areas where interests and values converge and diverge. The conversation focused on economic issues, climate change and Covid-19, a senior US official told reporters.

"President Biden underscored the United States' enduring interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world and the two leaders discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict," the statement said.

Occasional high-level meetings since Xi and Biden's first call in February have yielded scant progress on a slew of issues, from human rights to transparency over the origins of Covid-19.

During the ensuing months, the two sides have lashed out at each other almost constantly, often resorting to vitriolic public attacks, slapping sanctions on each other's officials and criticising the other for not upholding their international obligations.

Chinese state media said Xi had told Biden that US policy on China imposes "serious difficulties" on relations but added that both sides agreed to maintain frequent contact and to ask working level teams to increase communications.

"China and the United States should ... show strategic courage and insight, and political boldness, and push Sino-US relations back to the right track of stable development as soon as possible," the state media report said, citing Xi.

Asian currencies and share markets strengthened on Friday, as investors speculated that the call could lead to some thaw in relations between the two most important trading partners for economies in the region.

The Biden administration, preoccupied with a chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, has signalled that ending America's longest war will give US political and military leaders the space to focus on more pressing threats stemming from China's rapid rise.

But Beijing has been quick to seize on the US failure in Afghanistan to try to portray the United States as a fickle partner and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said last month that Washington should not expect China's cooperation on that or other issues if it was also trying to "contain and suppress" China.

The senior US administration official told reporters before the call that Washington had been disappointed that Chinese officials appeared only willing to read talking points during recent high-level talks and that the US side saw the leaders' call as a test of whether direct engagement with Xi could end what has become a stalemate in ties.

"This is about seeing if there is an ability to engage more substantively than we've been able to ... the proof will be in the pudding," the official said following the call, describing the tone as candid but respectful.

But the official also acknowledged that the United States' ability to change China's behaviour may be limited and that Washington must largely focus on shoring up US competitiveness and rallying partners and allies.

Successive US administrations have complained that Beijing has sought to use endless dialogue as a delaying tactic and frustration with this tactic ultimately led to Washington ending an annualised US-China dialogue mechanism.

Even so, the official said Biden had not planned to raise the prospect of US retaliatory action or "costs" if China refused to cooperate on a range of issues, including on Covid-19 origin investigations. Beijing denies the US accusation that it hasn't cooperated with investigations into the source of the pandemic.

The US official said it would "take time" and a "training period" for the Biden administration to convince Chinese leaders — who are themselves preparing domestically for an important Communist Party congress next year — that Beijing's stance would not pay dividends.

"We also think that essentially Beijing's actions are quieter than their words," the official said. "Their responses to our actions have actually been largely symbolic and frankly their hardline rhetoric isn't really working."

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World community's sustained support crucial for peace in Afghanistan: COAS

The world community's constructive engagement and sustained humanitarian support for Afghanistan is imperative for enduring peace and stability in the country, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said Friday.

The army chief's comments came during the Corps Commander Conference, which he chaired at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The meeting's participants took a comprehensive review of the global, regional, and domestic security environment, the military's media wing said in the statement.

The forum was apprised of the prevalent situation in Afghanistan, especially the security along Pak-Afghan Border and effective safeguards in place against various threats, the statement said.

During the meeting, the army chief expressed satisfaction over the efficacy of the comprehensive border management regime due to which Pakistan’s borders and internal security remained intact amid a crisis situation in the region.

The COAS appreciated the army’s support and role in the evacuation of foreigners and Afghan people from Afghanistan to other countries, the military's media wing said.

The army chief appreciated the formations for their efforts for conducting Muharram-related events in a peaceful manner and instructed complete readiness to counter conventional and non-conventional threats.

"The designs of external and internal forces inimical to peace and stability in Pakistan shall be thwarted at all costs," the army chief concluded.

Meanwhile, the forum emphasised close cooperation amongst all regional stakeholders is essential for a prosperous and peaceful region, the statement said.

The forum also paid homage to Syed Ali Shah Geelani for his lifelong struggle and sacrifices as leader of the indigenous freedom movement in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

A symbol of the Kashmiri freedom movement, and former chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Confe­rence (APHC), Ali Geelani had passed away last week in the Indian-occupied Kashmir city of Srinagar.

The forum also expressed solidarity with Kashmiri people who continue facing Indian state oppression and violence, the military's media wing added.

The development came shortly after Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had urged the international community to recognise the new reality in Afghanistan and engage with it for peace and stability in the region.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad along with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares, FM Qureshi had said that isolating Afghanistan will have serious consequences.

The top Pakistan diplomat said the approach of intimidation, pressure and coercion has not worked and we got to adopt a new positive approach regarding Afghanistan.

A day earlier, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Joseph Burns held a meeting with COAS Bajwa and discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan, a statement from the ISPR had said.

The ISPR had said that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was also present during the meeting, which focused on the Afghanistan situation and regional security after the US withdrawal and the formation of the Taliban government in Kabul.

“It was reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to cooperating with its international partners for peace in the region and ensuring a stable and prosperous future for [the] Afghan people,” the ISPR said.

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Chief election commissioner is acting as Opposition's mouthpiece: Fawad

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Friday said that it seems the Election Commission of Pakistan has "become the headquarters for Opposition parties" and the chief election commissioner is "acting as their mouthpiece".

Speaking during a press conference in the federal capital alongside Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati and Adviser to the Prime Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, Fawad said that no one is satisfied with the ECP because "it comes up with strange logic."

Chaudhry said that the PTI-led government had promised to make the ECP free, fair, and transparent, and to that end, a commission for reforms — headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk — was also formed. However, the ECP remains surrounded by controversies due to its "strange logic".

The minister said that the PTI government had asked the Opposition to come forward and participate in discussions related to electoral reforms.

"The government wanted to incorporate technology in the electoral process [to ensure transparency], however, it seems like the ECP has become the headquarters for Opposition parties."

The minister said that all institutions of the country, including the ECP, must abide by the law.

Chaudhry said that in fact, it is not the ECP that must be considered as a whole while talking about the law, but the chief election commissioner, who has "become fond" of acting as a "mouthpiece of the Opposition".

"The chief election commissioner — who may have had contact — naturally, he may have had close contact with (PML-N supremo) Nawaz Sharif, and others — and may even have sympathies for him, which we have no issue with — but whether it is the election commission, or any other institution, it must abide by the parliament," said Chaudhry.

He said that PML-N leaders are trying to make legal amendments related to the use of EVMs "controversial".

The minister said that the chief election commissioner should "either take a look at his behaviour or join politics."

"You better not become a tool used by small political parties," Chaudhry told the chief election commissioner.

He added that whenever the Opposition loses in elections, it starts crying foul about rigging.

"Our Opposition comprises intellectually-stunted parties. The only skill they have is to seek extensions for the hearings of their court cases."

Speaking about the incorporation of technology into the electoral process, Chaudhry said that even the Supreme Court of Pakistan endorsed it to ensure transparency.

On the other hand, Senator Babar Awan said that the bill on electoral reforms was passed in the National Assembly after eight months but the Opposition did not present a single suggestion throughout this period.

"The Opposition has become the enemy of electoral reforms as they want to maintain the status quo," Awan said.

Moreover, the bill had to be passed by the Senate in 90 days but it was rejected only a few hours before the conclusion of the stipulated 90-day period, he said.

"It is for the first time in history that the Senate committee bulldozed the government's legislation," he said.

"We have now decided to take the bill to the joint session of the Parliament on September 13 and will convene a National Assembly session a day after that."

Awan said that the government will soon complete the legislation under a Supreme Court order.

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NSA dismisses claims of Pakistan supporting Taliban in Panjshir

National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf dismissed on Thursday allegations of Pakistan extending support to the Taliban in Panjshir — the last holdout Afghan province where the group defeated resistance forces earlier this month — linking the accusations to a "fake news network" created by India and a "bogey" by previous governments in Kabul.

On September 7, demonstrations were held in Kabul against the backdrop of the Taliban taking over Panjshir, with protesters denouncing perceived meddling by Pakistan.

Yusuf was asked about these claims during an appearance on CNN's Connect the World, where journalist Becky Anderson referred to the accusations by anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan and Iran's foreign ministry condemning "foreign interference" in the war-torn country.

"Did the Pakistani army support the Taliban attack on anti-Taliban forces in Panjshir using drones and/or other weaponry?" asked Anderson.

"It's preposterous is all I can say," replied Yusuf.

The NSA pointed out that Pakistan had been saying that "project Afghanistan" was failing because of the country's internal problems, some of which he attributed to a corrupt government.

Yet the world saw Pakistan as the problem, he said.

"This was scapegoating by previous governments in Kabul which, unfortunately, the international community started believing because they didn't want to talk about their own failures," he said.

Specifically answering allegations regarding Pakistan helping the Taliban with drones in Panjshir, the NSA held up a paper showing screenshots of Indian news channels, which he said had been spreading fake news about Pakistan.

Pointing to an image on the paper, he said: "This is mainstream Indian media showing an American jet flying over Wales in the United Kingdom and presenting it as Pakistan doing something in Panjshir."

He went on to say that India had spent millions of dollars in "creating a fake news network [against Pakistan]".

The image Yusuf was showing was shared by some Twitter users, who claimed it to be a Pakistan Air Force jet shot down by resistance forces in Panjshir.

Anderson also questioned Yusuf on Pakistan's involvement in the formation of the new Taliban government, referring to the ISI chief's recent visit to the country.

At that, Yusuf asked, "Why did the CIA director go to Afghanistan much before my ISI chief went there?"

He said that the ISI chief had visited Afghanistan, and would visit again, as Pakistan shared a border with Afghanistan and had to engage with the new government to make sure that the border was secure.

Yusuf also pointed out that other countries had sought Pakistan's help for evacuation from Afghanistan and cooperation was needed on that front as well.

Dubbing the reports of Islamabad's involvement a conspiracy theory, he said there was no logic to them, as the ISI chief was interviewed by the media during that visit and that defied that he was on a "secret mission".

"Pakistan has the right to defend its national security," he said, adding that it would continue to do so by engaging in Afghanistan.

He further said the world needed to move beyond these conspiracy theories and cooperate to benefit the common Afghan man.

Yusuf then denied Islamabad's involvement in the formation of the new government in Afghanistan, saying that it was a sovereign country.

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Azam Swati levels serious allegations against ECP of taking bribes

Officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) walked out of a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs after federal minister Azam Swati levelled serious allegations against the commission of taking bribes.

The debate on the usage of electronic voting machines for the next general elections turned hostile Friday when a session of the committee was held under the chair of Senator Taj Haider.

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan said the government will not decide which machine will be used for voting.

"This will be decided by the election commission," he said. "The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs wrote a letter to the ECP, asking whether it needed a budget."

Awan said the ministry had written to the ECP, asking whether it needed a budget, security or storage to hold the elections. "The ECP did not respond to the letter," he lamented.

It was then that a livid Azam Swati accused the ECP of taking money from companies that make electronic voting machines, said a source present in the meeting.

The Opposition senators said that Swati cannot accuse a constitutional body of taking bribes, and asked the senator to provide proof to back his claim.

Swati then added that such institutions conduct all elections through rigging and should be burned down. At this, the ECP officials walked out in protest.

After the meeting was disrupted, Senator Farooq H Naek lashed out at Swati, saying that the ECP should be removed from the Constitution and the government should conduct the elections itself.

"Whenever the ECP tries to become independent, they [government] start to have a problem with it," added Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar.

The committee's chairperson sent Senator Kamran Murtaza to convince the ECP officials to return to the meeting.

However, State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said the ECP officials were deeply upset and would not return to the meeting.

Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Azam Swati also exchanged hot words, with the PPP senator asking the minister about the alleged bribe.

"Azam Swati should tell us who paid bribes to the ECP?" he asked. "Was it the PPP or the PML-N?"

A defiant Swati stuck to his guns, saying that he had said nothing wrong.

Committee rejects amendment on using EVMs

Senator Taj Haider presented an amendment for approval on EVMs. Azam Swati protested against Haider, accusing him of not allowing Senator Samina Mumtaz to cast her vote.

"You are not taking our lawmaker online so that she can cast her vote," he said. "We are walking out in protest," he added, and representatives of the government left the meeting.

The committee proceeded to vote on amendments to the Election Act in their absence. The committee shot down the use of electronic voting machines and also rejected an amendment relating to the I-voting of overseas Pakistanis.

The committee also rejected an amendment to the Act that wanted NADRA, instead of the ECP, to issue election lists and also rejected an amendment for Senate elections to be held via an open ballot as opposed to a secret one.

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif lashed out at the government, saying that while the PML-N had called over 100 meetings on electoral reforms when it was in power, the government couldn't handle one.

"Their consultations [amount to] imprisoning the Opposition when they ask questions and silencing the media," he tweeted.

He wondered how a government that does not demonstrate seriousness during a consultative meeting, be expected to take concrete decisions on electoral and administrative reforms.

"ECP officials walking out [in protest] over the ministers' attitude tells us of the government's attitude," he said. "How can a government that is unable to answer members of a committee logically expect us to put faith in its legislation and claims?" he wondered.

Sharif said the government does not have any answer to the logical, comprehensive, solid and technical reservations pointed out by the ECP on the EVMs.

He regretted how the government had "bulldozed" bills in the National Assembly a few months ago and today, forced the ECP members to walk out of a committee meeting.

"The government does not have reasoning to promote electronic voting, it only has threats," he said. "On rejecting the idea of EVMs, the government has resorted to threatening the ECP," he added.

Meanwhile, Babar Awan criticised the chairman of the senate committee for not allowing a government member to vote during the meeting.

"Senate Parliamentary Committee chairman has deprived Senator Samina Mumtaz of exercising her right of the vote after which the government members walked out of the meeting," he tweeted.

He said that the Opposition has been exposed after it voted against the EVM and overseas Pakistan's right to vote.

"We will get both the bills approved from the joint session of parliament," Babar Awan said.

EVMs cannot stop rigging, says ECP

On Friday, the Election Commission of Pakistan submitted a four-page letter to Taj Haider, the chairman of the senate’s standing committee on parliamentary affairs, which expressed its reservations regarding the proposed election amendment bills.

The ECP stated that it endorses the introduction of new technologies in the electoral process but has concerns about the process being pushed in “haste”.

“The Commission, while in favor of technology, believes that the technology to be used must be secured and sufficiently tested,” the letter argued, adding that the EVM should be subject to massive testing by procuring the machine on a small scale for a pilot project first.

The ECP also proposed that the selected machines be used in local government elections, by-elections and a few constitutions in the next general elections first and then on a large scale.

It further highlighted that with the usage of machines, elections will have to be held in a staggered manner rather than in a single day, which will require legal amendments.

“EVMs are offered as a defense against ballot stuffing and altering results,” the letter noted, “EVMs will not counter all types of frauds and open up the possibility of other more sophisticated types of fraud and manipulation of software and hardware.”

The Commissions also insisted that the Senate committee take into consideration the cost of EVMs. If a separate machine is used for the national assembly and the provincial assembly then at least 900,000 machines will be required for approximately 100,000 polling stations and 400,000 polling booths. “The system would cost an estimated Rs150 billion,” it added.

 

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Schools to remain close till 15 september in Punjab, KP

A day after the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) decided to extend restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19, the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governments on Friday notified the closure of schools in cities with high infection rate till Sept 15.

“All Public and Private Schools of Punjab to remain closed until Wednesday September 15th, 2021,” Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas announced in a post on his official Twitter handle.
Punjab’s cities where schools have been closed include Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Khanewal, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

Separately, KP Education Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai tweeted that schools in Peshawar, Swabi, Malakand, Swat, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra and Dera Ismail Khan will remain closed until Sept 15 in line with the NCOC’s decision.
On Thursday, the NCOC – Pakistan’s nerve centre to control the Covid-19 pandemic –decided to extend the closure of all educational institutions till September 15 in districts with high coronavirus prevalence.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) also decided to extend a number of additional non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in districts with high coronavirus prevalence in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad for a week.

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US says interim Taliban govt not reflective of what it had 'hoped to see'

The interim Taliban government does not reflect what the international community and the United States hoped to see, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a news conference Thursday.

Earlier, this week, the Taliban announced the first members of a new "acting" government, three weeks after sweeping into full power with the takeover of Kabul, on August 15.

The new cabinet is made up of senior Taliban figures some of whom are notorious for attacks on US forces over the last two decades.

It will be led by Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, one of the movement's founders, who is on a UN blacklist.

"We have spoken about our reaction to the initial caretaker government. You have heard us say that the lack of inclusivity, the track records, the backgrounds of some of the individuals involved, are a cause for concern. It certainly does not reflect what the international community and what, as a part of that, the United States hoped to see," Price told reporters.

He said that the US noted that this is an initial caretaker government. "We note that some of these positions remain unfulfilled. So what will be important to us is not only the composition of any future government of Afghanistan...again, we will look to see to it that it is inclusive, to see to it that it is representative of the people that the Taliban purport to represent," he said.

Price emphasised that the US and international community will continue to "hold the Taliban to account for its public and private commitments" made to the US many of its close partners.

Price spoke about a ministerial meeting hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken a day earlier along with Foreign Minister Heiko Maas of Germany.

World powers have told the Taliban the key to peace and development is an inclusive government that would back up its pledges of a more conciliatory approach, upholding human rights, after a previous 1996-2001 period in power marked by bloody vendettas and oppression of women.

During his news conference, Price said that several elements of consensus emerged during the meeting over the Taliban and that there were key questions that many of the participants posed: "Will the Taliban uphold their commitments to freedom of travel and safe passage -- in the case of the United States for Americans, but also for third-country nationals, for our Afghan partners? Will they live up to their counterterrorism commitments?" Price said, highlighting some of the questions.

Price said the questions remain unanswered. "We will together be able to answer those questions with our allies and partners as we start to see how the Taliban is going to purport to govern, how it will treat its people, how it will treat our people, how it will confront threats not only to the Taliban but threats to us as well," he said.

Earlier, the US had said it was concerned by the track records of some of the Cabinet members and noted that no women had been included. "The world is watching closely," US State Department spokesperson had said earlier this week.

Afghans who enjoyed major progress in education and civil liberties over the 20 years of US-backed government remain fearful of Taliban intentions and daily protests have continued since the Taliban takeover, challenging the new rulers.

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Renowned Journalist Rahimullah Yousaf zai passes away

Veteran journalist and analyst Rahimullah Yusufzai passed away on Thursday after a protracted battle with cancer.

The Peshawar-based journalist Rahimullah was considered an authority on Afghan affairs due to his vast experience.

President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Bajwa, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain have expressed deep sorrow and grief over his demise.

In a tweet on Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said Rahimullah Yousufzai was one of Pakistan’s most respected journalists.

“Saddened to learn of Rahimullah Yousafzai’s passing. He was one of Pakistan’s most respected journalists. He was an opinion maker because his columns were well researched,” the prime minister wrote in a tweet.
The prime minister also prayed for the bereaved family.

 

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Are you fed up of talking Habit during sleep?

On the off chance that your accomplice disclosed to you that you talk in your rest, they may be onto something. More than 66% of individuals will rest talk during their lifetime, as per an investigation distributed in Sleep Medicine.

Talking in your rest is a parasomnia problem called somniloquy, and specialists aren't actually certain why it occurs, said Dr. Kannan Ramar, educator of medication at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

"A few scenes of rest talking can most recent 30 seconds and happen just a single time in a blue moon while others report rest talking for longer lengths and all the more oftentimes inside a rest period," said Rebecca Robbins, rest researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Hereditary qualities or expanded liquor utilization may assume a part, she said. Another central point is inordinate pressure, Ramar added. "As nervousness can be a supporter of rest talking, some might communicate their sentiments, stresses or think about their day."

The talking could go from a couple of rubbish words to finish sentences and is typically innocuous, Robbins said.

Scientists dissected the rest talking examples of in excess of 230 people and tracked down the most well-known word was "no." The examination, which was distributed in the diary Sleep, additionally observed to be almost 10% of individuals utilized obscenities while dozing.

Stopping for a nonexistent individual

The examination additionally discovered individuals were stopping during their rest talk discussion to allow a nonexistent individual to nitpick them prior to reacting. This shows that the resting cerebrum can work at an undeniable level, Robbins said.

While it's unprecedented, there are a few occasions when you may admit to something while you're snoozing, Robbins said.

A great many people will in general frame more intelligent sentences in the initial two patterns of rest, Ramar said. In the subsequent two cycles, individuals will in general have less rhyme or reason.

At the point when individuals awaken, they infrequently recollect that they've talked in their rest, Ramar noted. They regularly depend on their accomplice to advise them on the off chance that they've visited while sleeping.

Step by step instructions to forestall rest talking

Rest talking is generally innocuous and isn't attached to any psychological or actual issues Robbins said. She recommended individuals talk about their rest chatting with their accomplice.

On the off chance that you discover your accomplice holds awakening to your talking, adjusting your way of life to incorporate not so much liquor but rather more long periods of rest could help, Robbins said. Discover approaches to diminish pressure, she added.

Ramar said individuals ought not savor caffeine the evening, and they should attempt to rest and awaken around comparative occasions to control their energy.

On the off chance that those don't work, Robbins suggested individuals see a rest subject matter expert so they could direct an overnight rest recording to more readily investigate and tackle the circumstance.

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Why 'American Crime Story' is such a great deal over 'American Horror Story?

The debut of "Denunciation: American Crime Story" compared with most recent release of "American Horror Story" gives an obvious show of why the first of Ryan Murphy's treasury series designs is such a ton better than the second - to be specific, since planting a foot, in actuality, occasions, but indecent, helps check the maker's more offensive abundances.

The prerequisites of introducing material dependent on a genuine story forces a level of discipline that "Harrowing tale" has needed consistently. And keeping in mind that the show doesn't conceal its abhorrent walking orders - "frightfulness" is in the title, all things considered - the reality we're up to a tenth season may clarify why Murphy and his partners continue to attempt to do something extraordinary for themselves, in every so often difficult to-stomach ways.

While a many individuals clearly have fun, "American Horror Story's" most recent portion, captioned "Twofold Feature," is a particularly horrifying cycle of the recipe. All things considered, the vampire-touched plot - with essayists basically selling their spirits and becoming bloodsuckers (not an unobtrusive representation) in their strive after progress - mirrors the establishment's most noticeably awful impulses, both in its subsidiary contacts and needless butchery, especially with a subplot that includes the little girl of the focal couple.

"American Horror Story's" has a sketchy history of joining sexual symbolism and brutality in past versions, as it continually pushes content limits. Adding a little youngster (played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong) to the throat cutting and blood drinking feels disgusting in an alternate yet similarly unwarranted way.

As noted, "American Crime Story" addresses a far-fetched shingle for "Denunciation," absolutely contrasted with the high-profile murder cases chronicled by the initial two portions,

"The People v. O.J. Simpson" and "The Assassination of Gianni Versace." But every one of the three of those undertakings address a huge improvement over awesome of that "Shocking tale" has to bring to the table.

"Denunciation" has accumulated blended surveys, with some scrutinizing its shocking tone, which apparently overlooks what's really important of why the makers and organization were attracted to the topic in any case. Part of Murphy's brightness has been in choosing eye-catching, effectively promotable ideas - for this situation, enrolling Monica Lewinsky as a maker, and moving shameless names like Matt Drudge assist with publicizing this is on the grounds that he (or rather, Billy Eichner as him) is included in it.

"The People v. O.J. Simpson" may have seemed like an easy decision, yet the execution and first class exhibitions satisfied everyone's expectations. The topic wasn't as great in "Gianni Versace" however it was still bounty watchable, with a pompous job for Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan, who killed the style architect in 1997.

Murphy's fixation on introducing the underside of fabulous universes like Hollywood and design has yielded blended outcomes, however it's important that even there, the work has been exceptional when it's controlled by the real world. Look at "Hollywood," his substitute reality Netflix restricted series, with the more generally grounded "Quarrel: Bette and Joan," his tribute to Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.

Regardless of his transition to Netflix, Murphy has stayed a productive supplier for FX, which as of late reported two "American" branches of his collection series: "American Love Story," zeroing in on the connection between John F. Kennedy Jr. furthermore, Carolyn Bessette; and

"American Sports Story," about the misfortune encompassing football star Aaron Hernandez, which could undoubtedly be introduced under the "Wrongdoing Story" flag.

During a time of bountiful substance, such high-profile stories get through the messiness, and genuine wrongdoing particularly so. Whatever "Indictment's" inadequacies, however, contrasting it and

"Twofold Feature" delineates that not all shows with "American" in the title are made equivalent, and that "frightfulness" time after time serves a permit to kill, yet the disastrous compulsion to participate in needless excess.

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Japan broadens COVID-19 restrictions in Tokyo & other regions

Japan broadened crisis COVID-19 limitations on Thursday in Tokyo and different areas until the finish of this current month to check diseases and forestall emergency clinics being overpowered.

Reporting the expansion, confirmed prior by a warning board, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said it was expected to support a clinical framework actually extended by genuine cases despite the fact that new diseases were falling and immunizations were rising.

"Immunization of every one of the people who wish to be inoculated will be finished in October or November," Suga told columnists. "What's more, from that point, we will actually want to ease limitations by utilizing confirmation of immunization or testing results."

Japan has been battling with a fifth rush of the infection and keep going month expanded its long-running controls until Sept. 12 to cover about 80% of its populace.

The quantity of serious cases and the strain on the clinical framework have not facilitated adequately in Tokyo and encompassing regions to permit limitations to be lifted. The actions will presently extend until Sept. 30, incorporating for Osaka in the west.

Japan's crisis controls have focused on requesting that cafés close early and cease from serving liquor. Occupants are being encouraged to telecommute however much as could be expected and avoid travel.

A few indications of progress around Japan mean two prefectures out of 21 will move from the highly sensitive situation measures to more designated limitations, and various different prefectures will eliminate all checks.

"I accept we're beginning to get results, however it's still too soon to bring down our defenses," Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said.

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U.S. govt set to release plan to lower prescription drug prices

The Biden organization is set to uncover an arrangement that upholds enactment to engage the U.S. national government to arrange drug costs in Medicare and pass along the advantages to the private area, the Wall Street Journal provided details regarding Thursday.

The COVID-19 flare-up, which has overturned the U.S. economy thus far killed around 649,299 individuals in the nation, has caused restored to notice medical care costs.

In August, President Biden said U.S. doctor prescribed medication costs were a few times higher than different countries on the planet, while asking legislators to order enactment to bring down drug costs. peruse more

The U.S. Government medical care program is a health care coverage program for individuals matured 65 or more, and those with incapacities.

The arrangement, to be delivered later on Thursday, will back enactment pointed toward bringing down drug costs set forth by legislative Democrats, the WSJ report said.

It will likewise layout other managerial measures, for example, testing repayment for drugs in Medicare dependent on the clinical worth they give to patients and government financing for investigation into new medicines, the report said

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PAF aircraft brings relief goods to Kabul

A C-130 aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force carrying relief goods for Afghans landed at the Kabul airport on Thursday morning.

According to Radio Pakistan, Pakistan's Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan, while receiving the goods at the Kabul airport, said that the process of providing relief and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people will continue in weeks and months to come.

The relief package included around 10 tonnes of flour, 1.5 tonnes of ghee and a large quantity of medicines.

The ambassador said another C-130 aircraft carrying relief goods will land at Kandahar airport tomorrow (Friday), while yet another consignment will reach Khost a day after. He added that Torkham and Chaman borders will be used alongside air channels to dispatch relief goods and extend humanitarian assistance to people in Afghanistan.

Last month, Executive director of the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) David Beasley had acknowledged Pakistan for establishing a "humanitarian air bridge" to Afghanistan.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Beasley had expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s role in facilitating the work of the UN agency in providing food assistance to people in Afghanistan.

He had also discussed ways of facilitating "the continued provision of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people" with the premier.

PM Imran had in April 2020 also directed the authorities in the country to prepare a relief package for the Afghan refugees and Internally Displaced Persons facing hardship due to the coronavirus epidemic.

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Ashraf Ghani apologises to nation

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled Kabul as Taliban forces reached the outskirts of the city last month, apologised on Wednesday for the abrupt fall of his government but denied that he had taken millions of dollars with him.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Ghani said he had left at the urging of his security team who said that if he stayed there was a risk of “the same horrific street-to-street fighting the city had suffered during the Civil War of the 1990s.”

“Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens,” he said.

The statement largely echoed a message Ghani sent from the United Arab Emirates in the immediate aftermath of his departure, which drew bitter criticism from former allies who accused him of betrayal.

Ghani, a former World Bank official who became president after two bitterly disputed elections marred by widespread allegations of fraud on both sides, dismissed reports that he had left with millions of dollars in cash as “completely and categorically false.”

“Corruption is a plague that has crippled our country for decades and fighting corruption has been a central focus of my efforts as president,” he said, adding that he and his Lebanese-born wife were “scrupulous in our personal finances.”

He offered appreciation for the sacrifices Afghans had made over the past 40 years of war in their country.

“It is with deep and profound regret that my own chapter ended in similar tragedy to my predecessors — without ensuring stability and prosperity. I apologise to the Afghan people that I could not make it end differently.”

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WHO calls on countries to avoid coronavirus vaccine boosters until 2022

World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday urged countries to avoid giving out extra coronavirus vaccines until year-end, pointing to the millions worldwide who have yet to receive a single dose.

The WHO chief, speaking to journalists, said: "I will not stay silent when the companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world's poor should be satisfied with leftovers."

Speaking from WHO's headquarters in Geneva, Tedros urged wealthy countries and vaccine makers to prioritise getting the first jabs to health workers and vulnerable populations in poorer nations over boosters.

"We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated," he said.

The WHO called last month for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots until the end of September to address the drastic inequity in dose distribution between rich and poor nations.

But Tedros acknowledged Wednesday that there had "been little change in the global situations since then.

"So today I am calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year," he said.

High-income countries had promised to donate more than one billion vaccine doses to poorer countries, he said — "but less than 15% of those doses have materialised.

"We don't want any more promises," he said. "We just want the vaccines."

Despite the call for a moratorium, some countries have been arguing for booster jabs not only for vulnerable people but also for the wider population, citing signs of waning vaccine effectiveness against the highly transmissive Delta variant.

The WHO has acknowledged that an additional dose could be needed for immunocompromised people, but stresses that for healthy people, the vaccines still seem very effective, especially in preventing severe disease.

"There is not a compelling case to move forward with a generalised recommendation for booster doses," Kate O'Brien, the WHO's vaccines chief, told Wednesday's news conference.

The UN health agency has set a global target of seeing every country vaccinate at least 10% of its population by the end of this month, and at least 40% by the end of this year.

It wants to see at least 70% of the world's population vaccinated by the middle of next year.

But Tedros lamented that while 90% of wealthy countries have hit the 10-percent mark, and more than 70% have already reached 40-percent, "not a single low-income country has reached either target".

He expressed outrage at a statement by a pharmaceutical industry organisation that the world's seven wealthiest nations, known as the G7, now had enough vaccines for all adults and teenagers — and to offer boosters to at-risk groups — and so the focus should shift to dose sharing.

"When I read this, I was appalled," he said.

"In reality, manufacturers and high-income countries have long had the capacity to not only vaccinate their own priority groups, but to simultaneously support the vaccination of those same groups in all countries."

 

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CIA chief holds talks with COAS Gen Bajwa on regional security

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Joseph Burns held a meeting with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Thursday and discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan, a statement from the military's media wing said.

In the statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was also present during the meeting, which focused on the Afghanistan situation and regional security after the US withdrawal and the formation of the Taliban government in Kabul.

“It was reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to cooperate with its international partners for peace in the region and ensuring a stable and prosperous future for [the] Afghan people,” the ISPR said.

 The CIA chief appreciated Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, including the successful evacuation operation, efforts for regional stability and pledged to play a role for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.

Before coming to Pakistan, the US intel chief had visited New Dehli, where he met Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.

Pakistan’s role amid the crisis in Afghanistan has been praised by the international community, with calls of stability and peace in the region.

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Noor Mukadam Case: Suspects demand In-Camera hearing

An Islamabad court resumed on Thursday the hearing of the high-profile Noor Mukadam murder case.Prime suspect Zahir Jaffer, his parents and three others appeared before District and Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani.

The court directed all the suspects, including Zahir Jaffer and his parents as well as Therapy Works CEO and five his employees, who are out on bail, to appear on next hearing on Sept 23 when they will provided copies of the case challan.

The judge ruled that copies of the charge-sheet will be provided once all the suspects are in attendance.
Advocate Raja Rizwan Abbasi informed the court that he would move a plea seeking in-camera hearing of the case, to which the judge remarked that he would decide it as per law after it is filed.

Zahir Jaffer has been found guilty in the case challan with his parents and Therapy Works CEO and employees as accomplices. On July 20, in a grisly murder, Noor Mukadam had been put to death allegedly by her friend Zahir Jaffer, in the vicinity of Islamabad’s Kohsar police station.

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Corona claims 84 more lives in pakistan, 4,062 fresh cases

As many as 84 deaths and 4,062 cases were reported during the previous 24 hours, said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Covid-19 on Thursday.

It said the nationwide death toll rose to 26,497 after 84 more people died of the viral disease.
A total of 63,161 samples were tested during the past 24 hours, out of which 4,062 came back positive, taking the country’s caseload to 1,194,198.

Infection rate was recorded at 6.43 per cent, the NCOC, Pakistan’s top platform overseeing the Covid response, said, adding the number of patients in critical care has climbed to 5,383.
4,136 more patients recuperated from the disease, taking the number of people who have recovered since the outbreak of the pandemic to 1,076,112.

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NCA expresses concern over 'destabilising' arms build-up in the region

The National Command Authority (NCA) on Wednesday noted with concern the "destabilising massive arms build-up" in the region, affirming that Pakistan would take all measures to ensure strategic stability in its neighbourhood without entering into an arms race.

The authority discussed the issue at its 25th meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan today at the Strategic Plans Division headquarters. The meeting was attended by all members of the NCA including federal ministers of foreign affairs, defence, finance and interior; chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee; chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force; and the Inter-Services Intelligence director general.

The prime minister is the chairman of the NCA, which is the apex decision-making body for nuclear matters.

The authority "expressed full confidence in the command and control systems as well as security measures in place to ensure comprehensive security of strategic assets of Pakistan", a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.

It reaffirmed that as a responsible nuclear state, Pakistan would continue to contribute meaningfully towards global efforts to improve nuclear security and nuclear non-proliferation measures.

The NCA, which was given a detailed briefing on the evolving conflict dynamics in the region, "noted with concern the destabilising massive arms build-up in the conventional and strategic domains", according to the press release.

"The NCA viewed these developments as detrimental to peace and security and asserted that Pakistan will take all measures to ensure the strategic stability in the region without entering into an arms race."

It also reiterated maintaining full-spectrum deterrence in line with the policy of credible minimum deterrence and expressed satisfaction on the development of strategic capabilities.

"The NCA appreciated high standards of training and operational readiness of the strategic forces, and appreciated the scientists and engineers whose dedicated contributions have enabled Pakistan to successfully pursue the desired objectives," the statement said.

In May, Prime Minister Imran had paid a visit to the NCA facility, his first visit to any nuclear site since assuming office.

During the visit, the premier was given a briefing on various facets of Pakistan’s strategic programme.

“The prime minister appreciated and acknowledged the untiring efforts of all the scientists and personnel associated with Pakistan’s Strategic Programme and expressed full confidence in the country’s nuclear capability and protection to strengthen the national defence,” a statement issued at the time said.

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PM Imran Khan inaugurates Islamabad's Cadastral Mapping Project

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday inaugurated Islamabad's Cadastral Mapping Project — which aims to curb land record tampering, ensure monitoring of construction through imagery, and provide information about land ownership on a single click.

The prime minister, speaking at the inauguration ceremony, said the digitalisation of land records was a "big step forward" in curbing land record tampering.

"The land records should have been computerised earlier [...] not digitising them had aided powerful people," the prime minister said.

PM Imran Khan highlighted that the land-grabbing mafia did not want records to be digitalised as it would have a setback on their motives. "50% cases in courts are of land disputes."

The premier said land grabbers occupy the homes of overseas Pakistanis, however, this digitalised system will now help keep track of the land's ownership.

"The land records of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore will be digitalised [...] and technology will help beat the land-grabbing mafia," the prime minister said.

The prime minister mentioned that the price of land was surging in the country and it was the government's responsibility to keep a check on it and safeguard the interests of the people.

He mentioned the government had recovered state land worth Rs300 billion in the last three years — since PTI came into power.

The prime minister highlighted that overseas Pakistanis were the ones most affected by land grabbing as when they come back to the country, their land is seldom occupied by another person.

"It is an ordeal to get the land ownership transferred, people have to pay bribes for it [...] but now in six to seven months, you can get it done while sitting at home," he said.

Overseas Pakistanis will invest in the country once we provide them a conducive atmosphere, he said, adding land occupation will end through the digitalisation project.

"The tree-plantation campaign in the country will also benefit from cadastral mapping [...] It will help avert deforestation," the prime minister added.

The project

The mapping project has been conceived and inspired by the prime minister's vision to modernize the old "patwar system", Radio Pakistan reported.

Phase-I comprises digitisation of revenue records of three major cities — Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad — and state land data, the publication said.

The project will also help overseas Pakistani to verify online information before purchasing land in Islamabad. The new system will also help identify the illicit hinging of state land, encroachment at nullah, and forests.

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FM Qureshi urges world to help prevent humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday said that the international community will have to play a role to avert the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Virtually addressing the six-country foreign ministers’ meeting today, FM Qureshi said, “If a humanitarian crisis is prevented and economic stability is assured, peace can be consolidated and a mass exodus precluded.”

He also urged the Taliban to ensure that the Afghan soil would not be used against any county.

FM Qureshi said that the change in Afghanistan is a reality, adding that the evolving situation in the war-torn county will have profound effects not only on our regions, but also on the entire world.

Talking about Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the foreign minister said that no one could predict the rapid change in the country and all previous predictions were proved wrong.

“Urgent provision of humanitarian assistance, with UN and its various agencies playing a lead role, would reinforce the process of confidence-building,” he added.

He hoped that the political situation in Afghanistan will stabilise soon, adding that the new situation requires discarding old lenses, developing new insights, and proceeding with a realistic and pragmatic approach.

The meeting was held at the invitation of Pakistan to discuss evolving situation in the war-torn country. According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi chaired the meeting, which was also attended by China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The huddle holds importance after the announcement of an interim government by the Taliban.

The United States said it was concerned by the track records of some of the Cabinet members and noted that no women had been included. "The world is watching closely," a US State Department spokesperson said.

The foreign ministers' meeting reviewed the evolving situation in Afghanistan to address common challenges and realise emerging opportunities to ensure regional stability and prosperity.

A peaceful, stable, united, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan will contribute towards transit trade, people-to-people exchanges and security in the region, said the Foreign Office.

Earlier on September 5, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had spoken to his Iranian counterpart to discuss the Afghanistan, as the Taliban gear up to announce a new government in the war-ravaged country.

The foreign minister had spoken to Iran's Hossein Ameer Abdollahian over the phone, stated Radio Pakistan, adding that both representatives agreed to continue consulting each other over the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

The two sides had exchanged views in detail about latest developments in Afghanistan and also agreed on holding a virtual conference of Afghanistan's neighbours at the level of representatives in the upcoming days.

FM Qureshi had said Pakistan attached significant importance to its relations with Iran, while his Iranian counterpart lauded Qureshi's "concerted efforts to evolve a coordinated strategy in the backdrop of situation in Afghanistan."

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US and allies have duty to aid Afghanistan: China's foreign minister

The United States and its allies have more of a duty to supply economic and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan than any other country, said China's foreign minister Wang Yi.

According to a statement from the foreign ministry on Wednesday, the minister said that they should help Afghanistan's positive development while respecting its sovereignty and independence.

Wang, who is also China's state councillor, made the comments via video to a meeting of diplomats from Afghanistan's neighbours, according to the statement.

China shares a land border with Afghanistan, where the Taliban on Tuesday named a new government. The Taliban retook control of Afghanistan last month as US-led foreign forces were ending a 20-year presence in the country.

Wang said China would provide 200 million yuan ($31 million) worth of grain, winter supplies, vaccines and medicine to Afghanistan, adding that it had already decided to donate an initial batch of three million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Afghan people.

He called on the Taliban to cut ties with all extreme terrorist forces and take measures to crack down on them.

"All parties should strengthen intelligence sharing and border control cooperation to catch and eliminate terrorist groups that have sneaked in from Afghanistan," in order to ensure regional security and stability, Wang said.

Afghanistan also shares borders with Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

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A Pakistani Youtuber ‘Hassan Nisar’ Discovered 8 Waterfalls in the Jab Valley of Haripur

Hassan Nisar is a youtuber, who has discovered 8 waterfalls in Jab valley Haripur, Hazara in the province of KPK.

The Jab is a beautiful valley surrounding around lush green mountains, amazing green beds, diverse plants, water-bodies and precious and rare species.

The Jab valley is located at the elevation of 3000 feet, which is located at the distance of 102km from the Islamabad. This valley possesses the different species of flora and fauna.

There the one can find, amazing olive trees, enriched with green olives, leopards on the hills and monkeys on the trees, that gives you the feel of hill-station. This is an amazing and easy-accessible tourist destination for the adventurous people.

Here, the people can enjoy hiking, crystal clear water of spring and spectacular views of 8 waterfalls flowing step by step and making their path in mountains. T

he first waterfall is falling at the height of 200 feet, and the other seven waterfalls are falling at the height of 50 feet. It is an awesome and nature enriched tourist spot, that remained undiscovered or hided from the tourists and travelers, nation and world-wide.

The overall, access to the valley is easy but the inconvenience starts, when the tourist reach to spring and waterfall spot. If, the government show interest and give attention to this valley, it will prove to be the one of the best tourist destinations of Pakistan and KP tourism.

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Pakistan is the worst sufferer of the Afghan conflict: Fawad Chudry

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday has strongly rejected the Indian media reports that Pakistan helped the Taliban in the attack on Panjshir.

“The Indian media used a video game to demonstrate that Pakistan is helping the attack on Panjshir,” Fawad Chaudhry said while talking to BBC World News.

The minister termed the Indian media reports a pack of lies.

He said in the absence of any formal government in Kabul, the intelligence network creates an informal framework to discuss impending issues.

He said Pakistan has some deep issues with Afghanistan including the expansion of Daesh as well as the issue of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the refugees.

The minister said our engagement with the Taliban enabled the US-Taliban negotiations and then helped in the evacuation of thousands of people from Kabul. He said our engagement with the Taliban has also been appreciated by the world community.

Fawad said Pakistan is the worst sufferer of the Afghan conflict. He said we suffered eighty thousand casualties and a loss of 150 billion dollars to the economy.

Replying to a query, Fawad Chaudhry said it would be premature to react on the interim government announcement by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

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Naval day being observed across country to pay tribute to 1965 war heroes

Pakistan Navy (PN) is observing Naval Day today (Wednesday) to pay tribute to the martyrs and ghazis of the 1965 Pak-Indo war.

The day is observed to acknowledge the sacrifices and spirit of our Naval heroes who epitomized grit, courage and valour during the 1965 War.

The day reminds us of the heroic deeds and daring achievements of our Ghazis and Shuhada who fought gallantly and humbled a much bigger adversary with their absolute faith in Allah.
On the night of 7 September, the Pakistan Navy launched its assault on Western Indian shores. Dwarka was chosen for its proximity 200 km (120 mi) from Karachi Port).

The plan called for a fleet of 7 naval vessels of Pakistan to bomb the town of Dwarka. It was aimed at luring the heavy ships anchored in Bombay into attacking the Pakistani ships to enable the submarine PNS Ghazi lurking in the Arabian Sea to engage and sink the Indian ships.
Accordingly, a fleet of seven ships comprising PNS Babur, PNS Khaibar, PNS Badr, PNS Jahangir, PNS Alamgir, PNS Shah Jahan and PNS Tippu Sultan set sail for Dwarka and bombarded the town.

Pakistan Navy in its successful assault destroyed several installations including radar, railway station, cement factory of Associated Cement Company. Smoke from the damage was visible to the Pakistani warships.

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Pakistan's daily COVID-19 caseload hovers around 4,000

Pakistan has seen its daily coronavirus caseload mostly hover between the 3,000-4,000 range for close to a month now as the country continues its fight against the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Even in terms of deaths, the daily toll has been hovering around 100 for over a week.

On Wednesday, the country's National Command and Operation Centre reported 3,902 coronavirus cases after 60,537 tests were taken and 83 deaths.
The new cases raised the cumulative total of confirmed cases to 1,190,136 and of deaths to 26,413, NCOC stats showed.

This brings the positivity rate to 6.44%. Since August 24, Pakistan's positivity rate has been under 7% on 14 out of 16 days.

A total of 1,071,976 people have so far recovered from the virus, while the total number of active cases in the country fell to 91,747.

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Taliban announce interim government; Mohammad Hasan Akhund to be PM

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday announced members of the "acting" government, saying that it will be led by Mohammad Hasan Akhund while the group's co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar will be the deputy Afghan leader.

Taliban's deputy leader Sirajuddin Haqqani will be the acting interior minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi will be the acting foreign minister, political chief Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai will be the acting deputy foreign minister and Mullah Yaqoob will be the acting defence minister, he announced during a press conference in Kabul.

The heads of various other ministries will be appointed soon, Mujahid added.

The Taliban spokesperson said Afghanistan had "gained freedom", stressing that "only the will of Afghans" will be applicable in the country.

"After today, no one will be able to interfere in Afghanistan," he emphasised.

Mujahid said that the Taliban had been in contact with various countries and their envoys had visited Afghanistan.

The Taliban who swept to power last month, have been expected to announce a government since the United States-led evacuation was completed at the end of August.

They have promised an “inclusive” government that represents Afghanistan's complex ethnic makeup — though women are unlikely to be included at the top levels.

As they transition from insurgency group to governing power, the Taliban have a series of major issues to address, including looming financial and humanitarian crises.

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Two soldiers martyred in IED attack in North Waziristan: ISPR

Two Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in North Waziristan on Tuesday, the military's media affairs wing said.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that security forces were conducting a clearance operation in the district's Dosalli area when the IED exploded. As a result, 25-year-old Sepoy Zia Akram and 20-year-old Sepoy Musawwar Khan were martyred, it said.

Akram hailed from Muzaffarabad while Khan was a resident of Bajaur, according to the ISPR.

Pakistan Army troops immediately cordoned off the area to apprehend the terrorists who had planted the IED, the statement said.

During intense exchange of fire, one of the terrorists, who were trying to flee, was killed, it added.

The clearance operation was still ongoing to find and eliminate any other terrorists in the area, the ISPR said.

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China's exchange hit record levels last month worldwide

China's exchange with the remainder of the world flooded to record highs last month, facilitating fears that an obstinate Covid flare-up and the worldwide transportation emergency were slowing down the economy. Fares spiked 25.6% in August from a year prior to $294.3 billion, as per customs measurements distributed Tuesday. Imports bounced 33.1% over a similar period to $236 billion. The two figures were the most noteworthy on record. The gigantic development thinks about to 2020 figures exacerbated by the effect of the Covid pandemic, however August's numbers were likewise well…

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Big blow for Pakistan as Misbah, Waqar step down from coaching roles ahead of T20 World Cup

Pakistan team coaches Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis have stepped down from their posts, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced Monday.

Both Misbah and Waqar communicated their decisions to the cricket board late Monday morning. They were appointed in September 2019 and still had a year each left in their contracts.

With the New Zealand side due to arrive on 11 September for the three ODI and five T20I series and the Pakistan side to assemble in Islamabad on 8 September, the PCB has appointed Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq as interim coaches for the series, with the team management for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 to be appointed in due course.

On his decision to quit the post, Misbah-ul-Haq said that the quarantine in Jamaica post the West Indies series provided him with an opportunity to reflect on the past 24 months as well as the schedule for international cricket ahead.

Misbah said that he has decided to step down from the role considering that he would have had to continue to spend considerable time away from his family and that too in a bio-secure environment.

“I understand that the timing may not be ideal but I don’t think I am in the right frame of mind for the upcoming challenges and it makes sense for someone fresh to step-in and take the side forward.”

He wish the team the best.

Meanwhile, bowling coach Waqar Younis said he decided to step down after Misbah informed him about his future plans.

“After Misbah shared with me his decision and future plans, it was a straightforward one for me to resign as we had walked into the roles together, had worked collectively as a pair and now also step down together,” he said.

The bowling coach said that working with the Pakistan bowlers, including the youngsters, has been most satisfying as they have now started to show progress.

He added that bio-secure environments in the past 16 months have had their impact, something they had never experienced during their playing days.

“The next eight months will be busy and exciting for the Pakistan team and, like in the past, I will continue to back and cheer them. I want to thank each and every member of the Pakistan cricket team set-up as we stayed united in good and bad days, and hope there will be more brighter days ahead.”

'PCB respects Misbah’s decision'

“The PCB understands and respects Misbah’s decision,” said PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan.

Lauding the services of Misbah, the PCB chef executive said, “In the past 24 months, Misbah has given his very best to the team and we wish him well in his future endeavors”.

“It has been an honorable decision by Waqar and we thank him sincerely for his immense work and commitment over the past two years and wish him the very best in the future,” he added.

Wasim Khan said, “Both Misbah and Waqar have given so much to Pakistan cricket over a long period of time and for that they deserve a huge amount of respect.”

It is pertinent to mention here that Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq have been appointed as interim coaches for the New Zealand series.

“Both Saqlain and Razzaq are ready to step-up and are very much looking forward to making important contributions in their coaching roles against New Zealand,” he added.

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