101,447 skill scholarships, 16,617 business loans given to youths: PM Imran

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar Saturday told Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday that 101,447 skill scholarships worth Rs 4.7 billion had so far been distributed among the youths under Kamyab Jawan Skill for All Program.

The SAPM, during a meeting with the prime minister, told that 16,617 concessional business loans totaling Rs 23 billion had also been given to the youths under Youth Entrepreneur Scheme.

Usman Dar, who presented a two-year report on the performance of the Kamyab Jawan Program told the prime minister that under the Program, five more pro-youth initiatives would be launched soon.

The initiatives include the establishment of Kamyab Jawan Centers in 106 universities, the launch of Green Youth Movement, Kamyab Jawan Innovation League, Kamyab Jawan Talent Hunt Sports League, Kamyan Jawan Sports Academies, and Sports Gala.

Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasized all-out measures for the inclusion of youth in all sectors to make them contribute to achieving the great goals.

He said 68 percent of Pakistan’s population was below 30 years of age and that was why the government was striving for converting this huge population into a great asset to benefit from their capabilities through education and skill training.

The prime minister said the government was focused on exploiting the youth’s energy for the socio-economic development of the country as they were the catalyst of a change in society.

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Federal cabinet has approved TLP's de-proscription: sources

The federal cabinet on Saturday approved the de-proscription of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), after the political party and the government had struck a secretive deal earlier this week, sources said.

The federal cabinet approved the removal of the party's proscribed status through a circulation summary sent by the interior ministry, sources said, which mentioned that TLP has assured the government it will not organise violent protests in the future.

Two days back, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar granted the initial approval to the summary sent to him by the Punjab home department for the revocation of the TLP's proscribed status.

After granting preliminary approval to the summary, the CM had sent it to the Ministry of Interior to take a final decision regarding the matter through circulation.

The Ministry for Interior, after receiving the summary to change TLP's status, had sent it to the federal cabinet earlier today, the sources said.

In line with the deal struck with the TLP, the Punjab government has already removed the names of 48 TLP workers among 90 from the fourth schedule.

The provincial government also decided to release 100 other activists of the proscribed organisation from different jails in the province.

On November 2, the government began implementing the accord with TLP, with reports suggesting that it had released more than 800 supporters of the party arrested across Punjab.

The government signed an accord with the proscribed outfit last Sunday, under which workers of the organisation who are not facing any formal criminal charges were to be released. The amnesty will also extend to the party's top leader, Saad Rizvi.

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T20 World Cup: England booked a spot in Semi-finals

England booked their semi-final spot at the Twenty20 World Cup after they crossed 87 runs in pursuit of 190 against South Africa on Saturday. England have won all their four matches and become the first team from Group 1 to enter the final-four with the best run-rate so far.

South Africa need to limit England to 131 or fewer in the Super 12 contest in Sharjah to edge out Australia, who earlier beat West Indies, on net run-rate in the race to the semi-finals.

Pakistan have already made the semi-final from the other group.

 Results: South Africa won the match by 10 runs but they still have to go. 

 

 

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T20 World Cup: Australia beat West Indies by 8 wickets

Opener David Warner smashed an unbeaten 89 as Australia hammered West Indies by eight wickets to edge closer to the semi-finals in the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday.

Chasing 158 for victory, Australia rode on a 124-run second-wicket stand between Warner and Mitchell Marsh to romp home in 16.2 overs in Abu Dhabi and go level with Group 1 leaders England on eight points.

Marsh, who hit 53 of 32 balls, got out to Chris Gayle who celebrated the wicket in what was his likely swansong in West Indies colours.

Earlier Josh Hazlewood took four wickets to keep West Indies down to 157 for seven despite skipper Kieron Pollard´s 44 in the Super 12 clash.

South Africa play England, who are all but through to the final four, in the evening match and the result will decide the two semi-finalists this group.

South Africa need a dominant win to improve their run-rate and edge out Australia. England can only miss out on the final four if they lose heavily.

Reigning champions West Indies failed to give a winning farewell to Dwayne Bravo, who played his last international.

Australia gave Bravo and Gayle a guard of honour after Warner hit the winning runs.

Pollard rescued his side, who failed to defend their title after a loss to Sri Lanka took them out of the semi-final race, from 91-5 with his 31-ball knock and a key partnership of 35 with Bravo.

Bravo, who remains the leading wicket-taker in T20 matches with 553 scalps, scored 10 and walked back to claps and hugs.

Andre Russell finished off the innings with two sixes off Mitchell Starc in his unbeaten 18 off seven balls.

Openers Evin Lewis and Gayle started in attacking mode hitting the Australian pace bowlers to all parts of the ground in an opening stand of 30 off 14 balls.

Lewis smashed Hazlewood for three successive boundaries.

Gayle hit two sixes, including one off Pat Cummins, before the bowler got the veteran big-hitter to chop a delivery on to the stumps.

The 42-year-old West Indies great made 15 off nine balls and walked back to a standing ovation from his teammates.

Hazlewood came back with a bang with twin strikes as he sent back Nicholas Pooran and Roston Chase, bowled for nought, in the space of three deliveries, to leave the West Indies teetering at 35-3.

The left-handed pair of Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer, who made 27, fought back with a partnership of 35 but Adam Zampa broke the stand with his leg spin.

He got Lewis out for 29.

In reply Warner came attacking and unsettled the West Indian attack with boundaries all around the park despite losing opening partner Aaron Finch for nine.

Marsh was equally punishing of the bowlers as he hit five fours and two sixes in his fifth T20 fifty.

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PDM's March Against Inflation to Begin on 13 November from Karachi

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Saturday decided to hold several anti-inflation protests across the country, which will culminate in the long march towards Islamabad.

The Opposition alliance held a virtual meeting in which it decided to hold protests in Karachi on November 13, in Quetta on Nov 17, and in Peshawar on Nov 20.
PDM has decided to convene another meeting of the alliance's top brass on November 11 — right after the joint parliament session, which will take place on November 10.

The government has summoned the session on November 10 with a view to pass 18 bills.

The bills are related to granting overseas Pakistanis the right to vote, e-voting and the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Earlier this year, PPP had parted ways with the Opposition alliance, but now, PDM is mulling to join hands with the party to stop the government from passing the electoral reforms bills in the parliament, sources said.

The meeting's participants also rejected the recently promulgated National Accountability (Third Amendment) Ordinance 2021 and vowed to ensure complete attendance in the parliament's joint sitting to stop the government from passing its desired bills.

PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif briefed the meeting on his talks with Opposition leaders.

The PDM leadership also discussed the petrol price hike and rising inflation, and how to strengthen PDM's country-wide protests.

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith (MJAH) president Senator Prof Sajid Mir, and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai had joined the meeting via video link.

On Friday, Bilawal and Shahbaz discussed the government decision to hike petrol prices across the country.

Shahbaz called the PPP chairman to discuss the inflationary situation in the country and discussed a joint strategy against the government.

Bilawal criticised the prime minister, saying that he had offered a "lollipop" of relief to the masses before hiking petrol prices. With each passing day, the government is increasing the problems of people, he added.

He said those who increased the ghee price by 110% in three years, gave 30% relief to the masses. Electricity prices have increased by 60% in three years and today, Imran Khan is announcing a 30% relief package.

He said that the price of sugar has risen by 80% in three years, adding that Imran Khan’s relief package was not for the people but for a few families.

 

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Palestinian Bedouins in Hebron face demolitions, settler attacks

The Israeli High Court of Justice is expected to decide over the next month whether an area in the occupied West Bank – where Palestinian Bedouin communities have resided long before the Israeli occupation – will continue to be used for military purposes.

Masafer Yatta, located south of the city of Hebron, spans some 36km (22 miles) and is comprised of 19 Palestinian hamlets that are home to more than 2,000 people.The Israeli army designated part of the area a closed military zone for training in the 1980s, and “they have sought to remove the communities on this basis,” according to the United Nations.

Masafer Yatta is classified as being at risk of forcible transfer, in what the UN describes as coercive environment conditions” created through “a range of policies and practices that have undermined their physical security and sources of livelihood”.

Residents are forced to evacuate their homes during military exercises for temporary periods that could last days, while helicopters roam above the heads of the communities and heavily armed Israeli troops are present on the ground.

In addition to using the area as a training zone, Israeli authorities have expropriated thousands of dunams of land from residents to establish illegal Israeli settlements, including Ma’on and Havat Ma’on, and whose residents carry out attacks against the Palestinian communities. A dunam, an Israeli term for a unit of land area measurement of land, is equivalent to 1,000 square metres (0.2 square acres)

Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law.

“Israel wants this land because it’s the highest point in the south Hebron hills and is of strategic value for the growth of the Israeli settlements and outposts,” Masafer Yatta Mayor Nidal Yunis told Al Jazeera.

Masafer Yatta falls within Area C, comprising 60 percent of the occupied West Bank, which the Israeli occupation’s administrative body, the Civil Administration, reserves largely for the benefit of Israeli settlers.

The occupied West Bank was divided into Area A, B and C as part of the 1993 Oslo Accords. Israel retains total control of Area C while the Palestinian Authority (PA) has been granted limited powers to govern Area A and B.

The Israeli authorities grant few building permits to Palestinians in Area C.

“The designation of the area as a firing zone means that such permits are impossible to obtain,” the UN has said.The area is also not connected to water and electricity grids, which supply the surrounding Israeli settlements and outposts.

“The state forbids them to legally build their homes or connect to water and power grids, restricts their grazing land, and enables acts of settler violence in order to make their lives so unbearable that they will leave of their own volition,” Israeli rights group B’Tselem has said.

Civil Administration officials, accompanied by Israeli soldiers and Border Police equipped with bulldozers, have destroyed any attempts at building or efforts to connect to the infrastructure by the Bedouin communities.

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Medicines Price case, Amir Mahmood Kayani gets clean chit from NAB

The ongoing NAB investigation into the return of the public by making medicines expensive has made significant progress. Due to lack of evidence, nab dropped former federal minister Amir Kayani's name from the case.

According to sources, PTI leader Amirkayani got a clean chit in the case of making medicines costlier.

The minister did not play a role in the price hike of drugs published by NAB sources.

It should be noted that Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice Retd Javed Iqbal had directed an inquiry by NAB Rawalpindi against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Union Secretary General and former Federal Minister for National Health Amir Kayani.

Nab had received complaints against Amir Kayani. An inquiry was ordered after confirming the complaints against Amir Kayani.

Amir Mahmood Kayani had also resigned from the ministry to ensure transparency in the inquiry.

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India's capital was blanketed by toxic air after second day of Diwali

India's capital (New Dehli) was blanketed by toxic air on Saturday as pollution levels remained dangerously high for a second day after revellers defied a fireworks ban during a major Hindu festival and farmers in nearby states burnt stubble.

New Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 456 on a scale of 500, indicating "severe" pollution conditions that can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases.

The AQI measures the concentration of poisonous particulate matter PM2.5, which can cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, in a cubic metre of air.

On social media, some residents complained about the hazardous conditions in Delhi, which has the worst air quality of all world capitals, with an annual spike often early in the winter.

"The pollution in Delhi makes it very difficult to live in this city. Or at least live here for too long," resident Pratyush Singh said on Twitter. "We're breathing smoke everyday. Media will talk about it. Leaders will say they are fixing it. It'll go away and come back next year."

Toxic air kills more than a million people annually in India and takes an economic toll on the country's populous northern states and the capital city of 20 million people.

The current pollution levels in Delhi were the result of fireworks on the night of the Hindu festival of Diwali on Thursday and from stubble burning in the surrounding farm belt, according to the federal Ministry of Earth Sciences' SAFAR monitoring system.

Farmers in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana set alight the stubble left after harvesting at this time of the year to prepare their fields for the next crop.

The situation is expected to improve in Delhi from late Sunday onwards, but the AQI will remain in the "very poor" category, which can trigger respiratory illness on prolonged exposure, SAFAR said in a statement on its website.

 

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PDM to meet today as Fazl calls an urgent meeting

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman has convened a meeting of the leadership today (Saturday) on an urgent basis to discuss the petrol price hike, inflation and other issues of national importance.

The government had increased the price of petrol by Rs8.03 per litre, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan had warned the nation that fuel prices would have to undergo an increase.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah, sharing the meeting's agenda, said the Opposition alliance will discuss its strategy for the joint session of the Parliament in the meeting.

Other issues that will be discussed by the PDM leadership include a hike in petrol prices, the surging inflation and the alliance's strategy for anti-government protests.

The government has summoned a joint session of the Parliament on November 10, so that 18 bills can be passed.

These bills are related to granting overseas Pakistanis the right to vote, e-voting and the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

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PML-N ready to join hands with PPP against price hike

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif Friday made a telephone call to PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to discuss the rising inflation in the country.

During the telephonic conversion, both the leaders discussed a joint strategy of the opposition against inflation in the Parliament. Shehbaz Sharif told Bilawal that his party was ready to join hands with PPP against inflation.
Bilawal said PM Imran Khan hurt people by giving a lollipop of relief. Every passing day of the elected government is increasing the problems of people, he added.

The PPP leader said those who increased the ghee price by 110% in three years, gave 30% relief. “Electricity prices have increased by 60% in three years and today Imran Khan is announcing a 30% relief package. Sugar price has risen by 80% in three years.”

He said Imran Khan’s relief package was not for the people but for a few families.

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A landmark $1tn (£741bn) infrastructure spending package in US Congress

The US Congress has passed a landmark $1tn (£741bn) infrastructure spending package, delivering a major domestic win to President Joe Biden. Negotiations over the sweeping public works bill - which passed the House of Representatives with 228-206 vote - created a bitter split among Democrats.

Meanwhile the House is moving forward with a more ambitious social spending bill favoured by liberal lawmakers.

The infrastructure package now heads to Mr Biden's desk to be signed into law.

Billed as a "once-in-a-generation" spending measure, the infrastructure legislation proposes $550bn in direct federal expenditure to upgrade highways, roads and bridges, and to modernise city transit systems and passenger rail networks.

The agreement also sets aside funding for clean energy, clean drinking water and high speed internet.Three months ago, 19 Republicans joined with Democrats to approve the legislation in the evenly split Senate, a rare bipartisan feat in an increasingly divided Congress.

On Friday the bill passed the House with support from 13 Republicans, too. But more liberal lawmakers balked at its final version, complaining that key liberal policies had been dropped in exchange for the bipartisan win.

Six Democrats voted against it, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. The group of six - dubbed The Squad - are among the most left-wing and progressive members of the House.

Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus pledged they would not support the infrastructure bill until they had voted on a separate social welfare bill that allocates $1.75tn for healthcare, education and climate change initiatives.

Democrats control both chambers of Congress by very slim majorities, so near-universal support would be required for the bill's passage.

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Instagram has supported to preview Twitter links on wall

Instagram has brought back support for Twitter card previews after removing the feature nine years ago. Now, when users share an Instagram link on Twitter, a small preview of the post will be displayed.

Instagram controversially removed the feature shortly after being acquired by Facebook in 2012. Twitter card previews started for some users on Wednesday and will eventually be available to everyone. Instagram and Twitter are both promoting the change.

"If you want to share your latest Instagram post on the Twitter timeline too, you're in luck: now when you share a link to an IG post in a tweet, it'll show up as a card with a preview of the photo," read a tweet on Twitter's official support account.

Instagram sparked controversy with users when it removed support for Twitter cards in 2012.

The platform said that it wanted to take back control of its content following its merger with Facebook.

Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom insisted at the time that the mandate came from himself, and not Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg.

He said Instagram was attempting to grow its web platform and shared hopes that the move would help increase traffic.

 

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Rahul blitz keeps India alive with crushing win over Scotland

KL Rahul's 50 off 19 balls helped India stay alive in the Twenty20 World Cup with an eight-wicket thrashing of Scotland inside seven overs on Friday.

Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami took three wickets each to help bowl out Scotland for 85 in 17.4 overs after India put the opposition into bat in the Super 12 contest in Dubai.

Rahul and Rohit Sharma, who hit 30, then took the Scotland bowling apart as India raced to their target in 6.3 overs to radically improve their run-rate.

They still need to win their last game against Namibia on Monday and depend on the result of Sunday's New Zealand-Afghanistan match to have any chance of making the final four.

Rahul smashed six fours and three sixes in his batting blitz as he raised the fifty in 18 balls before getting out to Mark Watt.

Sharma fell lbw to Brad Wheal who ended the 70-run opening stand.

Suryakumar Yadav hit the winning six with skipper Virat Kohli, on his 33rd birthday, relishing the huge win at the other end.

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah bowled Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer after the batsman's seven-ball struggle at the crease. It was a maiden wicket for Bumrah.

George Munsey counter-attacked as he smashed Ravichandran Ashwin for three successive boundaries but Shami cut short the opener's stay on 24.

Jadeja came on to bowl after the first six overs of powerplay and made an instant impact with twin strikes to send back Richie Berrington, bowled without scoring a run, and Matthew Cross trapped lbw for two.

With Scotland's top four back in the dugout at 29, Calum MacLeod and Michael Leask put up some resistance during a 29-run stand.

Jadeja broke through with his left-arm spin as he sent back Leask lbw for 21 and Ashwin got Chris Greaves for one.

MacLeod, who made 16, and Mark Watt also attempted to bring some respect to the total but Shami returned to pick up two wickets in one over and Bumrah wrapped up the innings in 17.4 overs.

Earlier on Friday, New Zealand stayed on course for the semi-finals with a 52-run win over Namibia.

Group 2 leaders Pakistan have already made sure of a semi-final place with four wins in four games.

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Turkish lira edges near record lows as policy concerns linger

The Turkish lira weakened by 0.5% on Friday as investor concerns persisted over the combination of lower rates and higher inflation, and after the government denied a newspaper report that the finance minister had offered his resignation.

The resignation speculation played little role in market activity, traders said, pointing rather to the firmer dollar that was pushing the lira to near an all-time low of 9.85 touched late last month.

The currency weakened as much as 0.6% to 9.75 against the greenback and stood at 9.7200 at 0818 GMT.

It has lost some 23% of its value so far this year, hurt primarily by what analysts have called premature monetery easing in the face of inflation running near 20%.

The central bank has cut its policy interest rate by a total of 300 basis points since September, sending the lira to a series of record lows against the dollar.

Presidential communications director Fahrettin Altun denied a Cumhuriyet newspaper story on Friday that Treasury and Finance Minister Lutfi Elvan had offered his resignation and that President Tayyip Erdogan had not accepted the offer.

"Our Treasury and Finance Minister Lutfi Elvan is carrying out his duties. The story here is a lie," Altun wrote on Twitter.

In a speech on Thursday evening, Elvan dismissed some analysts' view that the government sought a weak lira to support exports. He said Turkey had a floating exchange rate policy and that the market set the currency's value.

Elvan said there had been volatility in financial markets in the last two months under the impact of global developments, with movement seen in market rates, asset prices and the exchange rate after Turkey's rate cuts.

The central bank surprised markets in September by starting the easing cycle despite inflation rising to a 2-1/2-year high.

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New Zealand boost semi-final hopes with Namibia win

New Zealand defeated Namibia by 52 runs on Friday to move closer to the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

Glenn Phillips and Jimmy Neesham plundered 67 runs off the last four overs as New Zealand made 163-4 after being put into bat.

In reply, Namibia were well set at 47-0 in the eighth over before they faded to 111-7.

New Zealand have six points, two ahead of Afghanistan and four in front of India who must win both their remaining games, and improve their run rate, to have any chance of making the semi-finals.

Pakistan have already booked their place in the last four from Group 2.

Pre-tournament favourites India face Scotland in Dubai later Friday.

"We knew what to expect here, it was a real scrap," said New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.

Phillips hit an undefeated 39 off 21 balls with one four and three sixes while man-of-the-match Neesham made 35 from 23 deliveries with a boundary and two sixes.

The Black Caps, who face fellow semi-final hopefuls Afghanistan on Sunday, were struggling at 96-4 off 16 overs after being put into bat by Namibia, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament.

But Namibia lost their discipline with 21 coming off the 18th over bowled by David Wiese and 18 taken from a wild 10-ball final over from JJ Smit.

Namibia had limited New Zealand to 62-2 at the halfway point after winning the toss and electing to field.

One of the early wickets to fall was opener Martin Guptill who had smashed 93 in the 16-run win over Scotland last time out.

Namibia saw openers Michael van Lingen (25) and Stephan Baard (21) make a steady start, helping their team reach 56-3 at the midway point.

But experienced seamers Tim Southee (2-15) and Trent Boult (2-20) applied the brakes as Namibia were only able to add 55 more runs off the last 10 overs.

"Afghanistan are a really, really strong side," added Williamson of their next opponents who are still in the hunt for a semi-final place.

"They have done so well in this tournament and have got match-winners throughout their side. So we are looking forward to playing them."

Namibia have one win in the Super 12s courtesy of beating Scotland.

They bring the curtain down on the group stage on Monday when they tackle India.

"We did well for 15-16 overs in the middle today but the death overs didn't go our way," said captain Gerhard Erasmus.

"We have got one more game to nail against India.

"It was quite a tough pitch, 160 was a bit too much today."

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PM Imran 'misleading' nation on petrol price hike: PML-N

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal joined many others in denouncing the government on Friday over the recent hike in petrol prices, saying Prime Minister Imran Khan was "misleading the nation" on the matter.

He referred to the premier's address at a public gathering earlier in the day, where the latter had said that the rise in inflation and prices of commodities was a consequence of the increase in prices globally.

Prime Minister Imran had explained that inflation had occurred globally due to the Covid-19 pandemic causing various issues such as supply shortages, trade closure, lockdowns, and reduced buying and selling.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Iqbal said, "I want to clarify a few things that the prime minister said today to mislead the nation.

"This rise in the price of petrol in the country is in no way linked to the increase in the prices [of fuel] internationally."

Noting that the price of fuel was around $65 per barrel on average in 2018, he said over the course of three years, the rate had risen by around merely $2 or three per cent to $67.

And in May 2018, when his party completed its term in the government and the PTI was elected, petrol was being sold at Rs87 per litre, he said, adding that the price had increased drastically in just three years to reach around Rs145 per litre.

"Internationally, the fuel price increases by just three per cent, and here it jacks up by 66pc," the PML-N leader pointed out.

Hence, he added, the rise in petrol price in Pakistan was not a consequence of an increase in prices internationally, but the devaluation of the rupee was caused by the incumbent government's "inefficiency and wrong decisions".

The PML-N leader said because of the rupee's devaluation, the price of every commodity being imported would increase.

"And when the price of [imported] fuel increases, there will be a rise in electricity and gas prices. It's a chain, and eventually the price of other commodities would soar as well," he added.

Giving India's example, he said the government there had decreased the prices of petrol and diesel yesterday (Thursday) by reducing duties.

But in Pakistan, the government increased the duty on the commodities to increase the prices of petrol and diesel in "the darkness of the night to further burden the people with inflation", he alleged.

Iqbal further criticised the government for its alleged lack of planning, contrary to what the prime minister claimed.

'Govt's failure'

Former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who also spoke on the occasion, termed the spiralling inflation a "failure of the government".

He said over the past three days, the price of not just petrol, but also of other commodities such as eggs, potatoes and onions had increased manifold.

"This is the situation of this country and the condition of this government today," he added.

Referring to a relief package recently announced by Prime Minister Imran to mitigate the impact of inflation, Abbasi questioned from where the funds for the Rs120 billion programme were to be arranged.

"This all is just for the show. It is a deception with the nation."

Abbasi also regretted that the parliament, where the issue of inflation could be deliberated upon to find a solution, had been "deliberately paralysed".

"We were compelled to hold a press conference to highlight this important issue, as there was a bar on speaking in the parliament," he said.

Referring to Prime Minister Imran's speech a day ago, he quoted the premier as saying that the latter would not shake hands with the "corrupt" opposition.

"But then why does he shake hands with those in his cabinet?" Abbasi questioned, alleging the involvement of cabinet members in sugar and drug mafias.

He also accused the government of amending the National Accountability Ordinance so as not to be held accountable for their misdeeds.

Abbasi termed "giving people the right to decide their fate once again" as the only solution to the ongoing crisis of inflation.

"It is the need of the hour," he stressed, saying the growing inflation was a consequence of a "hybrid regime" and a "stolen election".

He said the only answer to the crisis was "free and fair elections".

Petrol price hike

The government has been facing severe criticism from the opposition, particularly after Prime Minister Imran approved a Rs10 increase in the price of petrol last month. Major opposition parties, including the PML-N and the PPP, have held countrywide rallies and protests over what they term "unprecedented inflation in the country".

The criticism intensified today after the government announced a further increase of up to Rs8.14 per litre in petroleum prices in the early hours of Friday.

The decision was announced after 1:30am by the Ministry of Finance.

According to the notification, the ex-depot price of petrol was fixed at Rs145.82 per litre, showing an increase of Rs8.03. The ex-depot price of high-speed diesel was fixed at Rs142.62 per litre, up Rs8.14.

The government had earlier decided to keep the prices unchanged in "public interest".

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President Xi Jinping pledges more openness as China fulfills WTO commitments

Amid the weakening of global consensus on opening up, President Xi Jinping made fresh pledges Thursday to open the Chinese market wider as the country has fully delivered on its accession commitments to World Trade Organization (WTO).

Noting that globalization is facing headwinds, Xi expressed concern over the decline of an index on world openness in the past decade while addressing the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE).

"We must stay on top of the prevailing trend of economic globalization, and support countries around the world in opening up wider while rejecting unilateralism and protectionism. This is significantly important if we are to take humanity to a better future," Xi said.

NEW PLEDGES

"Opening up is the hallmark of contemporary China," Xi told officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs participating in this year's CIIE.

As part of the country's efforts to safeguard true multilateralism, Xi said China will uphold the position of the multilateral trading regime as the main channel for international rules-setting, and safeguard the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

China will also take an active and open attitude in negotiations on issues such as the digital economy, trade and the environment, industrial subsidies and state-owned enterprises, he said.

With a population of 1.4 billion and over 400 million middle-incomers, China will share market opportunities with the rest of the world via measures such as opening more demonstration zones for creative promotion of import trade and promoting Silk Road e-commerce, Xi said.

To firmly promote high-standard opening up, China will further shorten the negative list for foreign investment, and expand the opening of telecommunication, healthcare and other services in an orderly fashion, according to the president.

"China will firmly uphold the common interests of the world," he said, pledging to actively join in global efforts to tackle climate change and safeguard food and energy security, and provide more assistance to fellow developing countries within the framework of South-South cooperation.

UNCHANGED RESOLVE

The year of 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the WTO. Over the last two decades, the country's continuous efforts in widening opening-up have brought its development to a new stage and injected fresh impetus into the world economy, Xi noted.

"China has fully delivered on its accession commitments," Xi said.

China's overall tariff rate has been cut from 15.3 percent to 7.4 percent, lower than the 9.8 percent accession commitment, delivering dividends to its trade partners all over the world.

In the past 20 years, China's global ranking of trade in goods has risen from the sixth to the first, while that of its trade in services has jumped from the 11th to the second.

The country's development and progress since it entered the WTO is the result of much hard work and great tenacity of the Chinese people under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and the country's proactive steps to strengthen international cooperation and work for win-win outcomes, Xi said.

"As for China, we will not change our resolve to open wider at a high standard; we will not change our determination to share development opportunities with the rest of the world; and we will not change our commitment to an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all," Xi said.

As the world's first import-themed national-level expo, China's CIIE has offered a platform for entrepreneurs and traders worldwide. This year's CIIE draws nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions, higher than its last edition.

"As a European company in China for over 30 years, we have witnessed China's continuous efforts to deepen opening up and improve the business environment since its accession to the WTO. We have full confidence in China's development and future," said Tony Wei, Managing Director of Business Services and Managing Director of Swarovski Crystal Business, Greater China. 

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Governor, foreign minister discuss political situation, development projects

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on Sindh Governor Imran Ismail at Governor House here on Friday.

They, on the occasion, discussed overall political situation in the country, ongoing development projects in Sindh province and other issues of mutual interests.

The Governor said that the federal government was fully cooperating for the development of the metropolis.

The Foreign Minister said that the federal government was following the vision of equal development across the country.

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PTA, TikTok agree to establish mechanism for provision of lawful content

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has agreed to establish a mechanism with TikTok to ensure that all content uploaded on the platform is lawful and safe for society.

The Chinese video-sharing platform was banned in the country, on the directives of courts, for uploading objectionable content which is not acceptable in Pakistani society.

To discuss the matter, TikTok Head of Public Policy Helena Lersch met chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) retired Maj Gen Amir Azeem Bajwa at the PTA headquarters on Wednesday.

TikTok has sought a long-term meaningful engagement with the regulator in relation to content moderation in line with local laws and societal norms. Ms Lersch highlighted initiatives taken by TikTok for ensuring provision of safe, productive, informative and legitimate content to Pakistani users.

The PTA was informed that TikTok was the world’s leading short-form video platform and it followed the most stringent guidelines. As many as 81.5 million videos were removed globally during the quarter April to June.

This included removal of 9.85 million videos that were uploaded from Pakistan, which is also the second highest in terms of numbers in the world. The TikTok team presented a copy of its Global Community Guidelines Enforcement Report for the quarter April – June 2021.

The automated system placed by the platform to detect, block and remove inauthentic accounts and engagement had helped improve speed and response to the evolving threats, the team pointed out, adding future strategy and investment in Pakistan was also shared with the PTA.

The PTA chairman acknowledged efforts highlighted by TikTok and assured the team that engagement with it will continue.

TikTok was also banned earlier several times for allowing its content creators to upload videos that violated laws and sentiments of Pakistani people.

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Bravo confirms retirement from international cricket

Former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo has confirmed he will retire from international cricket after the conclusion of the West Indies' bid for the ICC T20 World Cup.

The West Indies have lost three of their first four matches of the ICC T20 World Cup and hence, can no longer qualify for the semi-finals.

However, skipper Keiron Pollard has said he does not plan on retiring from cricket after the Caribbean side lost to Sri Lanka a day earlier.

Speaking about his retirement, Bravo said "I think the time has come."

"I've had a very good career. To represent the West Indies for 18 years, had some ups and downs, but as I look back at it I'm very grateful to represent the region and the Caribbean people for so long.

"To win three ICC trophies, two with my captain [Daren Sammy] on the left here. One thing I am proud about is that the era of cricketers we had we were able to make a name for ourselves on the global stage and not only do that but have silverware to show for it," he added.

Bravo came out of retirement in 2019 to lead the West Indies in the defence of their T20 World Cup title. He has appeared in all seven World Cups of the shorter format of the game and has overall, appeared in 90 T20Is.

He helped the West Indies win the ICC T20 World Cup twice, once in 2012 and then a second time in 2016. Bravo spoke about the team he had been part of over the year and the trophies they had won.

"To win three ICC trophies, two with my captain [Daren Sammy] on the left here. One thing I am proud about is that the era of cricketers we had we were able to make a name for ourselves on the global stage and not only do that but have silverware to show for it," he said.

West Indies will play their final Group 1 game against Australia in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, with Bravo admitting "it wasn't the World Cup we wanted".

"For me now I want to try and pass on whatever experience and information I have with the younger players," he said. "I think in the white-ball formats, West Indies cricket have a bright future and it's important for us to keep supporting the guys and keep encouraging them.

"It wasn't the World Cup we expected, it wasn't the World Cup we wanted as players. We shouldn't feel sorry for ourselves, it was a tough competition, we should keep our heads high."

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'Go home': Govt allies, Opposition parties slam petrol price hike

Opposition parties Friday lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan, blaming his government for the rise in prices of petroleum products while the PTI's coalition partners warned of rising inflation.

The government announced a hike in the price of petrol by Rs8.03 per litre today, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan warned the nation that fuel prices would have to undergo an increase.

Reacting to the price hike, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif said that since the incumbent government came to power, it had brought the entire nation to "the ration card".

"Imran Khan lets the axe of inflation fall on the public and then wonders why inflation is surging in the country," he tweeted. "Over the past three years, the price of edible oil has increased by over 130%," he added.

The PML-N president said that the price of edible oil going up from Rs160 to Rs369 is unjustified, he said, adding that a "storm of inflation" had followed the prime minister's announcement of a relief package for the masses.

"The hike in prices of petroleum products is proof that the government does not care about the poor," he wrote.

He said that while the price of petrol had not surged past the Rs145 per litre mark, the government had exceeded the limits of ineptitude, corruption and incompetence.

"Increasing the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs8 per litre will also have a direct effect on prices of other items. It has become difficult for the common man to live," he wrote.

He said it was in the best interests of the entire nation and the masses that the prime minister "goes home instead of wreaking further havoc", adding that inflation, unemployment and "economic destruction" do not go away merely via allegations of corruption.

The MQM's Rabta Committee also condemned the hike in prices of petroleum products, stressing that it will have a direct effect on the prices of essential items.

"The public have already been crushed under the weight of inflation," stated the party's Rabta Committee. "Shifting the entire burden of globally increasing prices of food items on the public is not a wise decision."

The party advised the government to do away with "unnecessary expenditures" instead of shifting the burden of inflation on the masses.

"The prime minister should have some mercy on the people and take back his decision to hike prices of petroleum products," it added.

'Dama Dam Mast Qalandar if petrol prices are not slashed'

Opposition party PPP also reacted to the hike in petroleum prices, demanding the government to slash prices immediately or else be prepared for "Dama Dam Mast Qalandar."

"The masses should be ready. The PPP will soon announce its anti-government protest programme," said Shazia Marri.

She said the prime minister had harmed the public instead of providing them relief. "Imran Khan has taken anti-public measures in his bid to fulfil the IMF's agenda," she said.

Another ally of the ruling party, the PML-Q, has also condemned the petrol price hike, saying that the prime minister's relief package was not adequate for the masses.

 

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Petroleum price Hike, Opposition stages protest in National assembly

Opposition parties on Friday have staged a protest in National Assembly (NA) against increasing inflation across the country.During the session, the opposition bench members chanted slogans against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government by holding placards.

Meanwhile, speaking in the House, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif asked where are five million houses and jobs for the people. The nation will soon make them accountable, he added.

The PML-N further demanded to present the agreement signed between banned outfit protestors and government in the assembly.

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Dengue fever cases rise in Pakistan

Dengue fever has continued to grip the country as eight more people have died of the disease today (Friday).

According to details, 526 more dengue cases have been reported in 24 hours in Punjab. 180 more have been fallen victim to dengue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Meanwhile, the health experts have advised the people to take precautionary measures and avoid unnecessarily going out of their houses to control the outbreak of dengue.

 

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PM Imran to perform groundbreaking of hospital in Attock

Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Attock District today (Friday) to perform the groundbreaking of state of the art mother and child hospital.

Punjab government will complete the two hundred-bed hospital at a cost of 5.3 billion rupees in two years’ time.

Half of the project cost has been disbursed by the federal government to the provincial government.

The Prime Minister will also meet with the elected representatives from Attock and the PTI leadership. He will also address a gathering there.

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Petrol Price In Pakistan Has Gone Up By Rs 8.14

The government on late Thursday night jacked up the price of petrol by Rs 8.03 per litre with immediate effect.

According to a notification issued in this regard, the new price of petrol will be Rs 145.82 per litre against the current rate of Rs 137.79 per litre.

The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) has also been enhanced by Rs 8.14 per litre and will now cost Rs142.62 per litre.

The price of kerosene oil was also increased by Rs 6.27 per litre to Rs 116.53 per litre. In addition, the price of light diesel oil has been enhanced by Rs 5.72 per litre. The new price of light diesel oil will thus be Rs114.07 per litre.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday had rejected a summary of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) proposing an increase of Rs 11.53 in prices of petroleum products.

The OGRA had proposed an increase of Rs 11.53 per litre in petrol price, Rs 8.49 per litre in high speed diesel, Rs 6.29 per litre in kerosene oil and Rs 5.72 per litre in the price of light diesel.

It merits to mentioning here that just three weeks ago, the government jacked up the price of petrol by Rs10.49 per litre, following fluctuation in the global oil prices.

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Rupee fall not behind inflation: SBP

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Deputy Governor Murtaza Syed claimed on Wednesday that inflation in Pakistan was not being witnessed because of rupee devaluation, inviting a strong reaction from parliamentarians besides contradicting views of the Ministry of Finance.

“Inflation is not high because of exchange rate,” he said while giving a briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance. “It is being witnessed because of food and energy prices.”

The views expressed by the SBP deputy governor were contrary to what the Ministry of Finance had cited to explain the reasons behind high inflation in Pakistan, which was recorded at 9.2% last month with a double-digit increase in prices of energy, transport and non-perishable food items.

“Pakistan’s inflation rate is mainly driven by monetary and supply-side factors, ie domestic and international commodity prices, exchange rate, seasonal factors and economic agents,” said October’s monthly economic outlook report issued by the finance ministry.

The rupee, which was trading at Rs157.3 against the dollar in June this year, dipped to Rs175 before recovering to Rs170 this week on the back of Saudi Arabian oil credit facility.

“It is a layman’s excuse that inflation in Pakistan is because of the international market,” said Senator Kamil Ali Agha of the PML.

The impact of exchange rate movement on inflation comes with a lag and at present there was a positive impact of rupee appreciation on inflation, said Syed.

He added that if the rupee weakened in future, then some negative impact might be seen on inflation reading.

“I find it difficult to absorb that exchange rate helped in reducing prices and SBP governor had also given a similar statement about rupee depreciation,” said Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Syed again emphasised that inflation in Pakistan was on the higher side because of soaring food and energy prices and skyrocketing freight charges while rupee depreciation had not impacted the prices yet.

Syed is the second former International Monetary Fund (IMF) official and also the second high-ranking central bank official whose statement created resentment.

Earlier, SBP Governor Dr Reza Baqir’s statement about benefits of rupee devaluation for overseas Pakistanis had irked the public.

The value of the rupee was almost half of Bengali taka, said Rehman.

The SBP governor gave an irresponsible statement about rupee devaluation, which also damaged the central bank’s standing in the eyes of people, said Senator Talha Mehmood, Chairman of the Standing Committee.

“It was a nonsense utterance” by the governor, said Anwarul Haq Kakar of the Balochistan Awami Party.

Senator Sherry Rehman noted that international organisations were predicting the rupee would dive to Rs200 per dollar. The chairman of the committee said that the SBP governor should not make political statements because he did not hold a political office.

The standing committee decided to seek clarification from the SBP governor on his statement about the increase in income of overseas Pakistanis due to rupee devaluation.

To a question, the deputy governor replied that the flexible exchange rate did not mean a free float regime and the central bank was free to intervene when it felt that the rupee value was derived by sentiment.

Last time, Pakistan went to the IMF because it spent forex reserves to defend the artificial value of the rupee, said the deputy governor.

Committee members also underlined that the rupee devaluation did not help in lifting exports.

The structural framework that the devaluation would lead to an increase in exports had failed and instead it was leading to uncontrollable inflation, said Senator Anwar Ali Kakar.

Despite a roughly Rs50 devaluation in the past three years, exports have increased by about 3% compared to 2018, said Senator Musaddaq Malik of the PML-N.

Roughly Rs50 devaluation has also added Rs150 billion in the power sector capacity payment, said Senator Malik.

The exchange rate is not the only thing that helps in enhancing exports because other policies have to play their roles as well, said the deputy governor.

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Mark Zuckerberg sees ‘coordinated effort’ behind leaks to paint ‘false picture’ of Facebook

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has spoken for the first time since a US news collective published a deluge of withering reports arguing the company prioritises its growth over people’s safety.

In an earnings call, he assailed the reporting as an effort to cast the social network used by billions of people in an inaccurate light.

"Good faith criticism helps us get better, but my view is that what we are seeing is a coordinated effort to selectively use leaked documents to paint a false picture of our company," Mark Zuckerberg said.

The social media giant has been battling a fresh crisis since former employee Frances Haugen leaked reams of internal studies showing executives knew of their sites’ potential for harm, prompting a renewed US push for regulation.

Meanwhile, Facebook released results showing its profit in the recently-ended quarter grew to $9.2 billion -- a 17% increase -- and its ranks of users increased to 2.91 billion.

The company executives said on an earnings call that the tech titan would have brought in even more money if not for Apple updating its iPhone operating system to thwart advertisers tracking app users for ad targeting without permission.

"Overall, if it wasn’t for Apple’s iOS 14 changes, we would have seen positive quarter over quarter revenue growth," Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said of the iPhone software tweak made in the name of protecting privacy.

Hours earlier, new reports blamed CEO Mark Zuckerberg for his platform bending to state censors in Vietnam, noted Facebook allowed hate speech to flourish internationally due to linguistic shortcomings and said it knew its algorithm fueled toxic polarization online.

"These damning documents underscore that Facebook leadership chronically ignored serious internal alarms, choosing to put profits over people," US Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Big Tech critic, said in a statement.

News organizations like The New York Times, The Washington Post and Wired were among those that have now received access to the set of internal Facebook documents that Haugen originally leaked to US authorities and which were the basis of a damning Wall Street Journal series.

Haugen, who testified on social media before British lawmakers Monday, has repeatedly said the company puts its continuous growth, and thus profits, before the well-being and safety of users.

"Facebook has been unwilling to accept even little slivers of profit being sacrificed for safety, and that’s not acceptable," she told the lawmakers, adding that angry or hate-fuelled content "is the easiest way to grow" the social media platform.

Facebook has been hit by major crises previously, but the current view behind the curtain of the insular company has fueled a frenzy of scathing reports and a renewed push from US lawmakers to crack down on social media.

The Washington Post story out Monday said Zuckerberg had personally signed off on a push from Vietnam’s authoritarian government to limit the spread of so-called "anti-state" posts.

A report from Politico called the documents a "treasure trove for Washington’s anti-trust fight" against the platform, revealing internal employee chats about Facebook global dominance.

One of Monday’s reports, from website The Verge, plunged into the company’s own worries for its future.

"Teenage users of the Facebook app in the US had declined by 13% since 2019 and were projected to drop 45% over the next two years, driving an overall decline in daily users in the company’s most lucrative ad market," the story said, citing internal company research.

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WHO urges vaccine against bacteria killing 150,000 babies each year

The World Health Organization on Wednesday called for the urgent development of a vaccine against a bacterial infection responsible for nearly 150,000 stillbirths and infant deaths each year.

A fresh report by the UN health agency and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that the impact of Group B Streptococcus infection (GBS), which is estimated to live harmlessly in the intestinal tracts of up to a third of all adults, is a far bigger cause of preterm births and disability than previously thought.

The report confirmed a previous devastating finding from 2017 that the bacterium causes almost 100,000 newborn deaths and close to 50,000 stillbirths each year, although it pointed to significant data gaps suggesting the true figures could be higher.

And for the first time it quantified the impact on preterm births, finding that GBS is behind more than half a million early deliveries each year, leading to significant long-term disability.

In light of such staggering numbers, the report authors lamented that more progress had not been made towards developing a vaccine.

"This new research shows that Group B strep is a major and underappreciated threat to newborn survival and wellbeing, bringing devastating impacts for so many families globally," Phillipp Lambach of WHO's immunisation department said in a statement.

"WHO joins partners in calling for urgent development of a maternal GBS vaccine, which would have profound benefits in countries worldwide."

Professor Joy Lawn, who heads LSHTM's maternal adolescent, reproductive and child health centre, agreed.

"Maternal vaccination could save the lives of hundreds of thousands of babies in the years to come," she said, decrying the lack of progress since the idea of developing a jab against GBS was first raised three decades ago.

On average, 15 percent of pregnant women worldwide, or nearly 20 million annually, carry the GBS bacterium in their vagina.

But even though most of these cases show no symptoms, an infected pregnant woman can pass GBS to her foetus via the amniotic fluid, or during birth as the infant passes through the vaginal canal.

Babies and foetuses are particularly vulnerable because their immune systems are not strong enough to fight the multiplying bacteria.

If untreated, GBS can lead to meningitis and septicaemia, which can be deadly. Babies that survive may develop cerebral palsy, or permanent sight and hearing problems.

Wednesday's report showed that the bacterium leaves some 40,000 infants each year with neurological impairments.

Currently, women with GBS are given antibiotics during labour to reduce the chance of it passing to their baby.

But this approach poses problems in places where screening and antibiotic administration during labour are less accessible.

Tellingly, the highest rates of maternal GBS are found in sub-Saharan Africa -- which alone accounts for around half of the global burden -- and Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, the study showed.

It suggested that a GBS vaccine that could be administered to pregnant women during routine pregnancy checkups and that reached over 70 percent of pregnant women could avert 50,000 infant and foetus deaths each year.

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US says China expanding nuclear arsenal faster than anticipated

China is expanding its nuclear arsenal much more quickly than anticipated, the United States has said, but Beijing on Thursday slammed the Pentagon report as overhyping the threat.

The United States has declared China its principal security concern for the future, as Beijing works to build the People's Liberation Army into "world-class forces" by 2049, according to its official plan.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) could have 700 deliverable nuclear warheads by 2027, and could top 1,000 by 2030 — an arsenal two-and-a-half times the size of what the Pentagon predicted only a year ago, according to the Pentagon report published on Wednesday.

Like the United States and Russia, the two leading nuclear powers, China is building a "nuclear triad," with capabilities to deliver nuclear weapons from land-based ballistic missiles, from missiles launched from the air, and from submarines, it said.

Beijing is also "building the infrastructure necessary to support this major expansion of its nuclear forces," according to the assessment, which came in the Pentagon's annual report to Congress on Chinese military developments.

But the report argued China was likely not seeking a capability to launch an unprovoked atomic strike on a nuclear-armed adversary — primarily the United States — but looking to deter attacks by maintaining a credible threat of nuclear retaliation.

Beijing has dismissed US fears over its military development, and on Thursday accused the Pentagon report of aiming to "hype up talk of the China nuclear threat".

"The report released by the US Department of Defence, like previous similar reports, ignores facts and is full of prejudice," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

A year ago, the Pentagon's China report said the country had about 200 deliverable warheads and would double that by 2030.

Independent researchers have in recent months published satellite photographs of new nuclear missile silos in western China.

A satellite image from Planet Labs Inc. shows what researchers say are missile silos under construction in western ChinaThe developments come as China expands and upgrades its military, seeking the capability of projecting power globally, much as the United States has done for decades.

The rivalry has increased concerns about a possible US-China clash, especially over Taiwan, which is closely supported by Washington but claimed by Beijing as its territory — to be seized one day, by force if necessary.

By 2027, the latest report said, China aims to have "the capabilities to counter the US military in the Indo-Pacific region, and compel Taiwan's leadership to the negotiation table on Beijing's terms."

The report also confirmed recent reports that in October 2020, Pentagon officials were forced to quell real concerns in Beijing that the United States, driven by domestic political tensions related to the presidential election, intended to instigate a conflict with China in the South China Sea.

Underscoring its fears, the PLA had issued intensified warnings in state-controlled media, launched large-scale military exercises, expanded deployments and put troops on heightened readiness, the report said.

After senior Pentagon officials moved to directly speak to Chinese counterparts, the concerns eased.

"These events highlighted the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation, and underscored the importance of effective and timely communication," the report said.

It also questioned the PLA's intent in biological research into substances that potentially have both medical and military uses.

"Studies conducted at PRC military medical institutions discussed identifying, testing, and characterizing diverse families of potent toxins with dual-use applications," the report said, raising concerns over compliance with global biological and chemical weapons treaties.

Such concerns have mounted since Covid-19 emerged in Wuhan, central China, an area also home to a biological research lab with PLA connections.

China has denied the facility had anything to do with the Covid outbreak, but allowed limited access to it for investigators.

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Australia crush Bangladesh by eight wickets

Adam Zampa claimed his maiden five-wicket haul to help Australia boost their semi-final hopes at the T20 World Cup with an eight-wicket thrashing of Bangladesh on Thursday.

Zampa returned figures of 5-19 with his leg spin and combined with the Australian pace bowlers to skittle out Bangladesh for just 73 in the Super 12 contest in Dubai.

Skipper Aaron Finch, who hit 40, and David Warner put on 58 for the opening wicket as Australia romped home in 6.2 overs to move ahead of South Africa on net run-rate and boost their semi-final hopes.

Taskin Ahmed bowled Finch after the batsman smashed two fours and four sixes in his 20 ball knock, and Warner was out for 18 but the wickets remained minor blemishes in Australia's third win in four matches.

They are in a direct race with the Proteas to seal a final-four spot from Group 1 led by England who have effectively sealed one of the two semi-final places with four wins in as many games.

South Africa play England on Saturday after Australia take on the West Indies.

"Zampa's 5 for 19 was outstanding," said Finch. "It was a really clinical performance."

Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc bowled Liton Das for nought on the third delivery of the innings to set the tone for Australia's dominance.

Soumya Sarkar dragged a Josh Hazlewood delivery onto his stumps and Glenn Maxwell trapped Mushfiqur Rahim lbw for one as Bangladesh slipped to 10-3 and then 33-5 in 6.1 overs.

Captain Mahmudullah Riyad, who made 16, put up some resistence with a 29-run partnership with Shamim Hossain, who scored 19, before Zampa broke through with his second wicket.

Zampa struck again off successive balls of his third over to be on a hat-trick that nearly materialised with his opening ball of his final over but wicketkeeper Matthew Wade dropped a catch.

Zampa then took two more to wrap up the innings in 15 overs and surpass his previous T20 best of 3-14.

Bangladesh, who have now lost all their five matches, witnessed a second straight collapse after they were bowled out for 84 in the previous loss to South Africa.

"We have been outplayed by the opposition. I hope the supporters keep supporting us," said a rueful Mahmudullah.

"There are a lot of areas we have to look at, especially our batting. The wickets that we have played on have been among the best for batting."

Australia came out roaring in their run chase as Finch and Warner punished the opposition bowlers with hits all around the ground.

Mustafizur Rahman was taken for 21 runs in the fourth over.

Mitchell Marsh hit the winning six in his five-ball 16.

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Saad Rizvi stood by demand of French ambassador's expulsion: Sheikh Rasheed

Proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Rizvi stood by the outfit's demand for expulsion of the French ambassador when I spoke to him, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed said Thursday.

In contrast to Rasheed, Mufti Muneebur Rehman had earlier this week claimed that the proscribed TLP had never wanted the government to expel the French ambassador, and nor did they want the closure of the country's embassy as he disputed reports that these were the group's key demands.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Mufti Muneeb had said: "The ministers lied [...] the people who held talks with TLP lied about [the group] asking for the French ambassador's expulsion, closure of the embassy, and severing ties with the Europen Union."

Rasheed, while speaking to journalists today after attending a ceremony of Rescue 1122, said he had convinced Rizvi the matter of the ambassador's expulsion would be discussed in the parliament.

"In this regard, I have signed an [agreement], which I stand by," the minister said, adding he was unaware of any talks that took place in his absence.

Meanwhile, in a major development earlier in the day, the Punjab home department sent a summary to Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar for the revocation of the TLP's proscribed status, to which an initial approval has been granted.

Following the chief minister and the provincial cabinet's nod, the federal government will be moved to do away with TLP’s proscribed status, the home department said in a statement.

The Punjab government has also decided to remove the names of at least 90 activists of the proscribed outfit from the fourth schedule — in compliance with a secretive deal between the government and the proscribed TLP.

On November 2, the government began implementing its accord with TLP, with reports suggesting that it had released more than 800 supporters of the party arrested across Punjab.

The government signed an accord with the proscribed outfit on Sunday, under which workers of the organisation who are not facing any formal criminal charges were to be released. The amnesty will also extend to the party's top leader, Saad Rizvi.

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PM Imran emphasises role of scholars in guiding nation to path of progress

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday stressed the importance of scholars in guiding a nation to the path of success and called for bringing an "intellectual revolution".

Addressing a ceremony at the Academy of Literature after inaugurating the Hall of Fame, the premier began by highlighting the role of scholars during the golden age of Islam. "Scholars played a massive role [during that time] ... when a civilisation is on the path to progress, they make scholars their role models. They give a sense of direction to a nation."

But when scholars go astray, then the civilisation declines, he said. "Scholars guard a nation's point of view."

The premier also lamented the fact that citizens were not informed about the history of Islam. "They are not aware that this was the biggest revolution, that there is no other parallel [in history]."

He said that Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) had brought about an "intellectual revolution" and not one through the sword. "People's characters changed."

He added that it was necessary to inform the younger generation of this revolution as they were facing "immense pressure" due to social media and media in general. "Today, a child has access to content through his mobile phone, which on one hand provides knowledge and is positive, but on the other it is X-rated."

That's why the country's scholars, TV and film producers have a great responsibility towards the younger generation, he said.

"You can't close down social media. It is a reality," he said, adding that several times he has been informed about objectionable content on social media. "I inform the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and they block the site, but the next day another one pops up."

So while we can't stop social media, we can equip our children with the necessary information and teach them how to deal with such content, he said.

Circling back to the importance of scholars, the premier called them "opinion-makers". "They protect the direction a nation is heading in, and teach people how to differentiate between good and bad."

Calling the decline of the country's morality and ethics as the "biggest crisis", he said that he is always asked why he is after "two big families" for doing corruption — an apparent reference to the Sharifs and Bhutto-Zardaris.

"I don't have anything personal against them, in fact I used to be friends with them." He noted that the revolution Holy Prophet (PBUH) had introduced was based on morality, to encourage the good and to condemn the bad.

"A nation dies when it loses the ability to differentiate between good and bad [...]. When you see something wrong and don't call it out, that means that your decline has begun."

PM Imran also said that there was a massive difference between the morality and ethics of Western countries as compared to ours. He said that money has no standing in the British parliament, unlike the Senate of Pakistan where there are countless allegations of horse-trading.

The premier noted that the country was faced with two challenges; the first being that people had accepted corruption, and the second was social media.

"People tell me that you don't shake the hand of the opposition leader. [But] he is facing corruption allegations worth billions. If I shake his hand, I make it [the crime] acceptable in society."

Once again giving the example of England, he said that a minister who was facing corruption allegations was not allowed to enter parliament until he was cleared of the charges.

"Their standards are higher than ours and that is why I have made the Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority, the purpose of which is to provide children with a role model; Holy Prophet (PBUH)."

He noted that closing down social media was not an option, and the younger generation should be informed about the qualities of one of the world's greatest leaders. "If we want to uplift the ethics of our society, we need to give our children an alternate message."

Concluding his speech, the prime minister said that the government will "honour and raise the level" of scholars in society. "But you will have to take responsibility for an intellectual revolution in society."

He stated that he was informed by provincial police chiefs that sex crimes were on the rise in the country, and highlighted the benefits and cons of mobile phones. "Three years ago, the entire nation stood up for the Zainab case. Now you read the newspapers and see a multitude of such news, but there is no reaction."

He noted that the material from Pakistani films was being sourced from Bollywood, which had taken it from Hollywood. "We don't envisage the repercussions of the culture that is coming in."

He said that Indian films had changed drastically over the last few decades. "New Delhi is called the rape capital. We take in that culture and it has its effects. So, this is where scholars come in and have to guide society."

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48% of eligible population partially vaccinated in Pakistan: Umar

National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) head and Planning Minister Asad Umar Thursday said that 48% of the population has received at least one COVID-19 jab and appreciated the Punjab government for taking lead in the vaccination campaign from other provinces.

Taking to Twitter, Asad Umar said that more than half of Punjab’s eligible population has received at least one jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

“Punjab becomes the first province to have more than half of its eligible population with at least one dose at 52%,” he tweeted.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the federal minister revealed that 48% eligible population has received at least one dose of COVID-19. He maintained that Sindh’s 40% and Balochistan’s 17% population have partially been vaccinated so far.

“Federal territories leading in vaccination with Islamabad 87%, AJK 59% and GB 54%,” he added. Over all, Pakistan’s 48% of eligible population has received a fist vaccine dose, the minister said.

Earlier on October 31, The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had decided to roll back all Covid-19 related restrictions from cities where at least 60 percent of the population had gotten itself vaccinated against the disease.

The decision had been made in an NCOC meeting headed by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar after reviewing progress in vaccination campaigns in various cities.

In its statement, the NCOC had declared Islamabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Gilgit and Mirpur as “best cities” for achieving vaccination of 60 percent of their population.

Rawalpindi, Skardu, Hunza, Peshawar, Jhelum and other cities had been declared “vaccinated” as 40 percent to 60 percent of the population in the cities has gotten the coronavirus shot.

All virus-related curbs had been abolished from marriage ceremonies, social gatherings, businesses, indoor dining and sports activities in cities with a 60 percent vaccination rate. All public transport would be allowed to function with an occupancy level of 100 percent in these cities.

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Price of sugar in Pakistan shoots past price of petrol

Despite the government's claims of working to curb the prices of essential items in the country, the price of sugar continues to soar and has now crossed the price of petrol even.

Sugar is being sold as high as Rs150 per kg in different cities while petrol is currently being sold at Rs138.30 per litre in the country.

In the wholesale market of Peshawar, the price of sugar has increased by Rs8 per kg.

The president of the Sugar Dealers Association said that sugar is being sold at a wholesale rate of Rs140 per kg while the retail price has gone up from Rs145 to Rs150 per kg.

Meanwhile, in Lahore, the price of sugar in the wholesale market was Rs126 per kg yesterday and sources said that sugar dealers have increased the price by creating artificial shortage to make illegal profits.

The market sources said that the price of sugar in the wholesale market has increased by Rs9 per kg. The price of sugar in Akbari Mandi has risen to Rs135 per kg, whereas retail sugar is being sold at Rs140 per kg

In Karachi, the ex-mill price of sugar has now reached the highest level in history at Rs142 per kg, an increase of Rs12 from a day earlier.

In two weeks, the ex-mill price of sugar has gone up by Rs44 per kg.

With the increase in the ex-mill price, the wholesale price of sugar has gone up to Rs143 per kg, having risen by Rs19 over the course of a mere two days. and at the retail level, the increase in the price will have an impact on all ew sugar purchases.

A similar situation is being witnessed in Quetta, where the price of sugar has gone up from Rs124 to Rs129 per kg.

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Summary sent to CM Punjab for removal of TLP’s proscribed status

The Punjab home department on Thursday sent a summary to Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar for the revocation of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)'s proscribed status.

According to a statement by the provincial home department, the summary has been forwarded to the chief minister after formal approval was accorded by the Punjab cabinet's sub-committee on law and order.

After approval from the chief minister and the provincial cabinet, the federal government will be moved to do away with TLP’s proscribed status, said the home department.

Earlier today, in compliance with a secretive deal between the government and the proscribed TLP, the Punjab government decided to remove the names of at least 90 activists of the proscribed outfit from the fourth schedule.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Law Minister Punjab Raja Basharat in Lahore.

The meeting also decided to release 100 more activists of the proscribed organisation from different jails in the province. It reviewed the decisions taken by the steering committee formed to deal with all TLP-related matters.

Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rao Sardar Ali Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Home Zafar Nasrullah and others were present in the meeting.

What is the fourth schedule?

The fourth schedule is a section of the Anti-Terrorism Act under which someone who is suspected of terrorism is kept under observation. The list is referred to the police and other law enforcers for effective monitoring. If a fourth scheduler wants to move somewhere, he/she has to inform their nearby police station. The list also includes people suspected of involvement in anti-state activities and delivering hate speeches.

On November 2, the government began implementing the accord with TLP, with reports suggesting that it had released more than 800 supporters of the party arrested across Punjab.

The government signed an accord with the proscribed outfit last Sunday, under which workers of the organisation who are not facing any formal criminal charges were to be released. The amnesty will also extend to the party's top leader, Saad Rizvi.

Implementation of the agreement started after a Monday meeting of the steering committee formed by Prime Minister Imran Khan to work out how the deal would be executed.

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PM Imran announced petrol, gas crisis instead of relief package

In a statement, the PPP leader told that last week, the prices of 25 basic items increased. The ratio of inflation has reached 14.31 due to continuous hike in the prices.

Sherry Rehman added that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had announced petrol and gas crisis instead of relief package in his address to the nation.

Sherry Rehman said that the people are facing problems due to lack of gas.

The reaction came after PM Imran Khan said that the price of petrol in Pakistan is low, the prices of petrol will have to be increased further otherwise the deficit will increase.

 

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