President lauds prompt action taken by PM regarding Sialkot incident

President Dr Arif Alvi has appreciated the prompt action taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan, regarding the Sialkot incident.

In a statement, he said the incident is very sad and shameful, and not religious in any way whatsoever.

In his remarks, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed all out support to civil administration to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring them to justice.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said political leadership and Pakistani nation strongly condemn killing of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot.

In his tweet, he offered condolence to bereaved family, government and people of Sri Lanka. He said perpetrators will be brought to justice.

The Minister said such acts have no place in our faith and country.

Condemning the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said this tragic incident has left every Pakistani in shock, and those responsible for this awful act do not deserve to be called human beings.

Meanwhile, different segments of the society are pouring in with strong condemnation of the horrific killing of a Sri Lankan national by a violent mob in Sialkot.

In a statement, Former Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman said there is no ground to take the law into hands when a constitutional and legal system is present in the country.

Talking to the media in Lahore, Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said sanctity of Hazrat Muhammad Rasool Allah Khatim un Nabiyeen Sallallaho Alaihe Wa Ala Alayhee Wa Ashabehi Wassalam is part of our faith but it is also incumbent upon us to follow his teachings which say do not cause any harm to trees.

Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said that in the presence of a state and its institutions, individuals cannot be allowed to stage courts and decide cases.

Addressing a news conference in Lahore, PML (N) President and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif the incident has caused the whole nation to hang its head in shame and no amount of condemnation would be enough.

He said Pakistan has very good relations with Sri Lanka and it should be hoped that the culprits will be given exemplary punishment.

Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industries highly condemned the act of violence at a private factory in Sialkot.

In a press release, President SCCI Mian Imran Akbar urged the government to crackdown on all the perpetrators and inciters of the incident.

While expressing solidarity with the bereaved family, the President said 3rd December would go down as a dark day in the history of Sialkot.

Taking to social media, celebrities including Mehwish Hayat and Mahira Khan said they look to Prime Minister Imran Khan to take swift action against such kind of mob violence.

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124 arrested so far in Sialkot lynching case

Police on Saturday night arrested six more suspects in connection with the lynching of Sri Lankan factory manager Diyawadanage Don Nandasri Priyantha in Sialkot.

So far, a total of 124 suspects, including 13 key suspects, have been arrested in the gruesome murder case. Police will produce all the arrested suspects before court to seek their physical remand for interrogation in the killing, said police officials.

A day earlier, the Punjab government had sent an initial investigation report of the Sialkot tragedy to Prime Minister Imran Khan, well-placed.

As per the preliminary report, a dispute had emerged when Kumara removed some posters from the walls of the factory at 10:28am. The posters were reportedly inscribed with the name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Shortly after, the factory owner had reached the spot and resolved the issue. Kumara had apologised for the misunderstanding on his part.

After Kumara made the apology, the matter was reportedly considered settled and the factory workers had dispersed.

However, some workers then incited their colleagues to attack the manager.

Within a few minutes, a mob formed and set on the victim within the premises of the industrial unit, eventually killing him.

A total of 13 security guards were present in the factory as the brutal attack was occurring. None of them tried to rescue the victim or disperse the mob, the report had said.

Kumara’s body was later dragged outside the factory.

Police received a phone call at 11:28am about the incident, officials had said. A police party had reached the site within 12 minutes.

Priyantha’s wife pleads for justice

The wife of Diyawadana Priyantha pleaded for justice for her slain husband from both Pakistani and Sri Lankan leaders, Sri Lankan news outlet Newswire reported.

“I got to know about the brutal murder of my husband from the news. Later, I saw this on the internet as well. He was a very innocent man,” she said, talking to reporters from BBC Sinhala.

“I request leaders of Sri Lanka and Pakistan to do justice for my husband and two children, by bringing the perpetrators to justice,” she went on to say. The deceased's brother said that Priyantha had been working in the Sialkot factory since 2012.

The incident

Priyantha Kumara, working as a manager at a private factory in Sialkot, was lynched on Friday by a mob after being accused of blasphemy.

The gruesome incident was dubbed by Prime Minister Imran Khan as "a day of shame for Pakistan".

Workers of a garment industry, located on Sialkot’s Wazirabad Road, had alleged that the foreigner had committed blasphemy. He was subsequently lynched and his body set on fire.

The mob had also vandalised the factory and blocked traffic, according to police.

The brutal murder drew widespread condemnation from senior government functionaries, including the prime minister and president, as well as the military's top leadership, who promised to bring all those involved to the book.

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Deteriorating situation in Afghanistan may trigger a new refugee exodus: FM Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says extraordinary session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan situation will be held in Islamabad on 19th of this month.

Addressing a news conference in Lahore, he said the extraordinary meeting is being held after the gap of forty-one years.

The Foreign Minister said P-5 countries and the European Agency have also been invited to attend the meeting.

Talking about prevailing situation in Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister warned that Afghanistan could face an economic collapse if the frozen assets were not released to cope with the burgeoning needs. He further said half of Afghanistan's population can suffer from food shortage.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said deteriorating situation in Afghanistan may trigger a new refugee exodus.

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Process to appoint new NAB chairman starts this week

The process to appoint a new chairman for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will finally start this week.

The tenure of the current NAB Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal was extended with the promulgation of the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, by President Arif Alvi in October.

Under the ordinance, Iqbal will continue to serve on the post until a new chairman is appointed.

Sources privy to the matter said that the Ministry of Law will forward a summary to President Arif Alvi this week in compliance with the prime minister's instructions.

They said that the president will seek names for the post from the prime minister through a letter and send them to the opposition leader.

Under the new law, the president will appoint the NAB chairman in consultation with the prime minister and the Opposition leader.

In case of a failure to reach a consensus on the appointment, the matter will be sent to a 12-member parliamentary committee formed especially for the matter of the appointment.

The ordinance states that the new chairman for the anti-graft watchdog will be appointed for a period of four years and his term may be extended.

The method followed for the appointment of the NAB chairman will be the one employed while granting an extension.

It also states that the NAB chairman can send his resignation to the president.

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New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel creates history in Test cricket

New Zealand’s Mumbai-born spinner Ajaz Patel claimed all 10 Indian wickets in the second Test, becoming only the third bowler in cricket history to achieve the feat on Saturday.

Ajaz, a left-arm spinner, added to his tally of four wickets on the opening day to return figures of 10-119. India were all out for 325.

England off-spinner Jim Laker was the first bowler to take a Test ten-for, against Australia in 1956 at Old Trafford. He ended up with 19 wickets in an encounter that came to be known as "Laker’s Match".

Indian spin ace Anil Kumble is the only other player to do so, against Pakistan in 1999 at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla.

"Welcome to the club #AjazPatel #Perfect10 Well bowled! A special effort to achieve it on Day1 & 2 of a test match," the former leg-spinner tweeted.

Ajaz, who emigrated to New Zealand in 1996 with his parents, was playing just his 11th Test for New Zealand since making his debut in 2018.

Now 33, his previous Test best was 5-59.

"Honestly, it’s surreal and to be able to do that in my career is pretty special," he said. "The stars have aligned for me to do it in Mumbai.

"I’m in very illustrious company with Kumble sir as well."

Veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh lauded his feat, saying: "Ajaz Patel This will be remembered forever 47.5-12-119-10 simply outstanding. Let me stand and clap."

Australia’s Aaron Finch said: "That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!! Ajaz Patel... What a phenomenal performance."

Ajaz had already described his return to Mumbai as "special" after taking four wickets on the opening day, adding that "this is what dreams are made of".

He had a middle-class upbringing in the Indian port city, where his father worked in refrigeration and his mother was a school teacher.

At the time the family emigrated he had little knowledge of New Zealand aside from the chocolates relatives already living there had sent them.

"When I think back on that, it is quite surprising that I sit here in New Zealand as an international cricketer knowing where I come from," Ajaz once wrote.

He found his calling in cricket and his heart was set on becoming a devastating fast bowler in the mould of national hero Richard Hadlee.

It was not until his mid-20s that he realised he was too short to make it as a quick, and switched from left-arm medium-pace to spin under former New Zealand spinner Dipak Patel. He thought it "might be fun" to try being a spinner, he once recalled.

The change transformed his career: he was selected for the national team at the late age of 30, and has now overtaken New Zealand’s previous Test best of 9-52 by Hadlee himself, against Australia at Brisbane in 1985.

On Saturday the spinner rattled India in the first session with wickets in successive balls to be on a hat-trick before overnight batsman Mayank Agarwal reached 150 to help India to a challenging total.

But Ajaz sent back Agarwal, who started the day on 120 with India on 221-4, to break a 67-run stand with Axar Patel, who made 52.

The wily spinner soon got Axar lbw and wrapped up the Indian innings with Mohammed Siraj his final scalp as the Kiwi players surrounded their hero with hugs and applause.

He sent down 47.5 overs in four spells out of a Kiwi total of 109.5 and bowled almost unchanged on day two.

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Lahore: Polling for NA-133 by-election underway

By-elections in the National Assembly constituency of NA-133 Lahore are being today (Sunday).

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it had finalised arrangements to hold the by-polls in an impartial atmosphere. The polling started at 8am this morning and will continue till 5pm without any break.

The seat fell vacant after the death of PML-N MNA Pervaiz Malik who had died of heart complications on October 11.

According to the Punjab election commission, there are 254 polling stations in the constituency, including 22 polling stations of A category, 198 of B category and 34 polling stations of C category. Of them, 199 polling stations have been declared sensitive. Around 200 separate polling stations have been set up for men and women and 54 mixed polling stations have also been set up.

The total number of voters in the NA-133 constituency is 440,485, including 233,585 male voters and 206,927 female voters.

Political dynamics

After the PTI candidate went out of the election race, there were 11 candidates left, including PML-N's Pervaiz Malik's widow Shaista Pervaiz Malik and PPP's Aslam Gill.

The PPP actively campaigned for the NA-133 by-election in Lahore, which is considered a stronghold of the rival PML-N, in the hopes of reviving the party in Punjab.

The PML-N has retained the seat thrice in the past with Pervaiz Malik winning it in 2018 with 89,699 votes, Waheed Alam Khan in 2013 with over 100,000 votes and Naseer Bhutta in 2008 with a margin of over 32,000 votes.

Election arrangements

Ballot papers and other polling material have been handed over to the presiding officers for by-elections. Polling material, including ballot papers, is being delivered to the polling stations under the supervision of police and Rangers.

Presiding officers have been paid Rs6,000 each for a full day's duty while assistant presiding officers and polling officers have been given Rs4,000 each.

The ECP directed each presiding officer to get snapshots of the original form 45 along with forensic details showing time and location and hand it over to the returning officer. The commission has asked presiding officers to keep their location service on, take a picture of form 45 and WhatsApp it to returning officers by taking polling agents on board.

In case of non-availability of internet, the presiding officer should personally hand over the original form 45.

The election commission has urged all presiding officers to save relevant details in their computer. Presiding officers will receive polling bags from the returning officer under the guard of police and Rangers.

In the meantime, the ECP has asked each candidate to ensure proper training of their polling agents. Candidates have also been asked to ensure that no polling agent could leave the polling station without receiving from 45. Each presiding officer is bound to provide the signed copy of form 45 to relevant polling agents at the polling station.

Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja inspected the distribution of polling material and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements.

CEC Raja said that all arrangements, including security, are complete. He also urged voters of the constituency to exercise their right to vote.

The election commission said it has assigned security duties to law enforcement agencies, including police and rangers.
The ECP said it has established a control room in the office of the Returning officer, which would continue working throughout the polling process until results are compiled.

The ECP has also established separate control rooms at provincial and central levels to register and resolve complaints. The control room will work from 7am in the morning till the compilation of results on polling day.

You may contact the provincial control room through the following live contacts: Lahore: 042 99212209; 042 99212620; Fax: 042 99212209; Email: prcpunjabcontrolroom@gmail.com.

The central control room could be contacted on phone 051-9204402; Fax no 051-9204404 for registering complaints. The complaints could also be registered through Email:- ddmonitoringisb@gmail.

A deputy commissioner and officers of police and Rangers will remain present to deal with any untoward incident.

The ECP also expressed hope that the voters would strictly follow the COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).

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Pakistan assures Sri Lanka of justice in Sialkot tragedy

Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that Pakistan would ensure justice in the tragic Sialkot lynching.

A Sri Lankan national, Diyawadanage Don Nandasri Priyantha, who had been working as a manager at a private factory in Sialkot, was tortured to death and his body set on fire by a mob over allegations of "blasphemy" on Friday.

The prime minister, in a tweet on Saturday, said he conveyed the nation's anger and shame to the people of Sri Lanka at the killing of Priyantha.

"I informed him 100+ people [have been] arrested and assured him they would be prosecuted with the full severity of the law," the prime minister added.
The post-mortem report of the foreigner revealed that 99% of his body was burned, and with the exception of one foot, all his bones were broken.

All his vital organs — liver, stomach, and one of his kidneys — were affected, while torture marks were visible all over his body and his spinal cord was broken at three different points.

The report cited skull and jaw fractures as the cause of death.

A Punjab Police spokesperson said that following the autopsy, his body was sent to Lahore, with two Elite Force vehicles escorting it.

The body will be handed over to the Sri Lankan consulate in Lahore, the spokesperson said.

"After all legal formalities are fulfilled, the body will be sent to Sri Lanka via a special flight," the spokesperson added.

Wife pleads for justice

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Pakistan to host OIC moot on Dec 19 : Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday said Pakistan would host a session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on December 19 with a focus on highlighting the need for urgent assistance and mobilisation of resources to avert a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in Afghanistan.

“If we don’t pay timely attention, half of Afghanistan’s population or 22.8 million people can face food shortage and 3.2m children may face malnutrition. This is the magnitude which we and the world should understand,” Qureshi said while talking to the media in Lahore.

Considering the gravity of the situation, he said Pakistan made an effort and moved ahead to host the international event while realising that, if not addressed timely, the situation would have dire consequences for "Afghanistan, its neighbours as well as the whole region".

Qureshi stressed that Afghanistan could face economic collapse if its frozen assets were not released to cope with the burgeoning needs.
He also pointed out that such a session of the OIC FMs on the Afghanistan situation would be held after 41 years with the first held in 1980. The foreign minister added that besides the foreign ministers of the OIC countries, Pakistan had also invited the special representatives of P-5 countries including the US, China, Russia, France and the UK.

Invitations were also extended to the European Union's high representative on foreign affairs and international organisations such as the World Bank and relevant UN agencies which could assist in the whole process.

Important countries such as Germany, Japan, Canada and Australia would be invited as well with the objective of "evolving an international consensus".

FM Qureshi said that Pakistan also wanted to invite a high-level delegation of Afghanistan to interact with the visiting dignitaries and apprise them of the latest on-ground situation.

He noted that senior officials of the respective countries would be meeting prior to the session and officials of the OIC Secretariat would be arriving earlier around Dec 1 to oversee the preparations.

Qureshi said the idea of holding the session on Afghanistan emerged during the meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on the sideline of the Green Summit in October.

As Afghanistan was a founding OIC member, he said it was discussed that the Ummah should make efforts to steer it out of the difficult situation. Qureshi thanked Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud for taking a "keen interest" to achieve consensus on the issue.

FM Qureshi stressed that abandoning Afghanistan would be a "historic blunder and the world should learn from the past instead of repeating the same mistake".

“If timely attention is not paid, a new crisis can emerge which would bring in instability. This instability will beget mass exodus of refugees. We are already hosting 3m Afghan refugees and it will be difficult to host anymore. The countries like Iran, Tajikistan, and other bordering countries are also similarly concerned,” he said.

The foreign minister also told the media he would meet the EU high representative and EU parliamentarians in Brussels on Dec 7 to apprise them on Afghanistan's situation.

Qureshi said after the withdrawal of troops and the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, India had launched a campaign to sanction Pakistan by blaming it for the Afghan situation. "However, due to its effective foreign policy, Pakistan thwarted all such Indian designs," the foreign minister added.

He said the international community had been convinced in the wake of Pakistan's diplomatic outreach that engagement with Afghanistan was in everyone’s interest as delegates had started visiting the country.

The foreign minister added that in collaboration with China, a platform of six neighbouring countries was also formed to discuss the situation and explore opportunities after the revival of peace in Afghanistan.

Qureshi also highlighted that Pakistan was already assisting Afghans by dispatching medicines, 50,000 tonnes of wheat and other relief items. He added that India was also allowed to transport wheat through Pakistan but it was making continuous excuses to materialise the commitment.

Lynching of Sri Lankan man

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Pak vs Ban: Pakistan 161-2 at stumps as Babar steadies team against Bangladesh

Pakistan were 161-2 at stumps on the first day of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Saturday after the final session was lost to bad light.

Play did not resume after the tea break, with Pakistan skipper Babar Azam batting on 60 alongside Azhar Ali, 36 not out, after left-arm spinner Taijul Islam removed openers Abdullah Shafique (25) and Abid Ali (39).

The morning session belonged to the Bangladesh bowler who continued to trouble Pakistan batters with his spin.

Ali and Shafique, who put on 146 and 151 runs in two innings of the first Test in Chittagong, looked confident early on as they successfully negotiated the new ball under slightly overcast conditions.

Ali, the man of the match in the first Test, dominated the bowlers, hitting six boundaries.

Shafique also showed aggression, hoisting Taijul for the only six of the morning before the spinners forced Pakistan to slow down.

Taijul could have dismissed Azhar if the third umpire had not given him the benefit of the doubt.

Bangladesh reviewed the not out call from the on-field umpire and with the ultra-edge showing an inconclusive touch of the ball to bat, the decision could not be overturned.

Pakistan lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the first Test by eight wickets.

The visitors fielded an unchanged squad from the first Test while Bangladesh handed Mahmudul Hasan a Test debut and brought in Shakib Al Hasan and Khaled Ahmed in three changes to the team.

Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali and Abu Jayed were dropped from the opening Test.

Pakistan are in the second spot on the ICC World Test Championship standings, while Bangladesh are languishing at the bottom. A win in the second Test will not only help them save face but also catapult them in the middle of the table.

 

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PCB announces the ticket prices for T20I, ODI series against Westindies

Pakistan is set to have 100% spectators at the cricket stadium this month for the first time since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and large gatherings were suspended.

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Saturday announced that the National Stadium will host the fans at 100% seating capacity when Babar Azam’s Pakistan take on the West Indies in three T20Is and as many ODIs from December 13-22.

Pakistan have won 17 T20Is this year and will enter the shorter format series against the West Indies with nine wins in the last 10 matches.

Guidelines
On the National Command and Operation Centre's instructions, the PCB has said that only fully vaccinated spectators will be allowed to enter the stadium.

Individuals above 12 are required to be fully vaccinated.
No vaccination is required for children below the age of 12.
Access to the stadium will be granted upon the display of original ticket, CNIC, and Nadra-issued immunisation certificate for COVID-19.
"To ensure all the spectators get to enjoy the action in a safe manner, they are advised to follow the COVID-19 protocols and wear the face masks when in the stands," the PCB statement said.

T20I ticket prices
In a bid to help cricket fans watch their superstars in action, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has set the ticket prices for the T20I matches from as low as Rs250 to Rs2,000, a PCB statement said.

Seats in General Enclosures — Intikhab Alam, Iqbal Qasim, Mohammad Brothers, Nasimul Ghani, and Wasim Bari — are priced at Rs250.
In First-class Enclosures — Asif Iqbal, Majid Khan, Quaid, Waqar Hasan and Zaheer Abbas — seats are available for Rs500.
In Premium Enclosures — Imran Khan and Wasim Akram — the seats are for Rs1,000.
In VIP Enclosures — Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, and Javed Miandad — the seats are for Rs2,000.
Fans of all ages will be able to see the No1 ranked Babar team up with 2021’s most successful T20I batter Mohammad Rizwan as his opening partner.

ODI ticket prices
The two sides will play three ODIs — part of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League — on December 18, 20, and 22, for which the tickets will start from as little as Rs100 and go up to Rs1,000.

Seats in General Enclosures available for Rs100.
In First-class for Rs250.
In Premium for Rs500.
In VIP for Rs1,000.

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Pakistan receives $3bn in funds from Saudi Arabia

The State Bank of Pakistan on Saturday received a much-awaited $3 billion deposit from Saudi Fund for Development.

Taking to official Twitter handle, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin announced: “Good news, $3 billion Saudi deposit received by SBP.”

The PM's aide acknowledged the support provided by Saudi Arabia and wrote: “I want to thank Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the kind gesture.”
On November 29, the central bank of Pakistan and the Saudi Fund for Development signed a deposit agreement for funds worth $3 billion.

According to a joint statement, under this deposit agreement, SFD shall park $3 billion in the SBP. “The deposit amount under the agreement shall become part of SBP’s foreign exchange reserves,” it had said.

The central bank had stated that the deposit would help support Pakistan’s foreign currency reserves and “contribute towards resolving the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The deposit agreement was signed by SFD Chief Executive Officer H E Sultan Bin AbdulRahman Al-Marshad and the SBP Governor Dr Reza Baqir at the State Bank of Pakistan in Karachi.

On October 27, the Saudi Fund for Development agreed to deposit $3 billion in the SBP to help support its foreign reserves.

The fund had stated that an official directive was issued to supply $1.2 billion to finance Pakistan’s oil products trade during the year.

According to the central bank, Pakistan’s total liquid foreign reserves stood at $22.498.8 billion on November 26, 2021. The break-up of the figures shows that foreign reserves held by the SBP were standing at $16.010.3 billion and net foreign reserves held by commercial banks were standing at $6.488.5 billion.

During the week ended on November 26, 2021, the SBP's reserves decreased by $244 million or 1.5%.

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Initial report of Sialkot lynching incident sent to PM Imran

The concerned authorities on Saturday have forwarded an initial report on the incident pertaining to the killing of Sri Lankan manager Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Chief Minister of Punjab (CM) Usman Buzdar.

According to the report, the incident was reported to the police at 11:26 am. A sticker regarding religion was placed on a machine in factory which, the manager directed to remove in the wake of foreigners’ visit, the report stated.

Allegedly, the workers didn’t act on the order due to which, the manager came forward and remove it by himself. The factory owners and administration fled the scene after lynching the Sri Lankan manager, the report mentioned.

On the other hand, the postmortem report of Priyantha Kumara showed that most of his body was burnt while his bones were also broken due to severe torture.

Earlier in the day, the security personnel arrested second prime suspect who incited the mob to torture Sri Lankan manager to death in Sialkot over alleged blasphemy.

Suspect Talha was shifted to some unknown place for interrogation. So far, police officers arrested over 100 people with the help of CCTV for killing the manager.

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Sialakot incident: Information Minister slams apathy towards mob violence

While condemning the Sialkot incident that shook the nation, Federal Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry Saturday said that "time bombs that we planted in society will continue to explode if not defused".

In a series of tweets on Saturday, Fawad slammed the apathy towards such incidents and warned that it will lead to a bigger tragedy.
"I've been thinking what to write to condemn the Sialkot incident since yesterday, words have become useless. Such incidents only affect us for 48 hours, after which everything returns to normal.

"Until the next such incident occurs, our conscience remains buried; this apathy is an indication of a bigger storm. Blood has been spilled in the countries due to people's dead conscience," he remarked.

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Islamabad court grants two-day transit remand for Agha Siraj Durrani

Accountability court on Saturday has approved two-day transit remand of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in assets beyond income case.

According to details, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader was produced before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court.

On December 3, 2021, NAB had arrested Agha Siraj Durrani from the premises of Supreme Court (SC) and shifted him to NAB Rawalpindi office where he underwent medical checkup.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard the matter and directed the speaker to surrender before the NAB and face the proceedings.

Durrani’s lawyer requested the court to grant his client bail so that he can surrender before the relevant trial court.

SC rejected the plea and directed him to first comply with the order of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and surrender before NAB, after which his case would be heard next week

“We have to proceed with the case as per the law,” Justice Bandial stated.

The court later adjourned the case till next week.

Earlier, NAB officers had raided the residence of the speaker following rejection of his bail from SHC but they failed to arrest him due to resistance from his guard.

It is pertinent to mention that the NAB had approved an inquiry against Durrani and others over various allegations of corruption in July, 2018. The speaker has been alleged of accumulating assets worth Rs1.6 billion through illegal sources.

NAB said the assets of Agha Siraj Durrani were valued at Rs479.4 million but he showed them to be worth Rs151.6 million.

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SSGC also seeks hike in gas tariff

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has also submitted a petition to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) seeking a hike in the gas tariff.

The report says that the state-owned gas company has requested the regulator to hike the price of gas by Rs58.42 per Million British Thermal Units (mmBtu) for the fiscal year 2022.

The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) Company had already submitted a review petition for up to a 157.5% increase (Rs907.75 per MMBTU) in the average prescribed gas tariff for FY 2021-22.
SSGC wants the gas tariff to increase as it is currently facing a revenue shortfall. The company is pushing for the gas tariff to be hiked by Rs58.42 per mmBtu for the next fiscal year.

OGRA, on the other hand, will hold a public hearing on the petition in Karachi on December 06, 2021, a public notice issued by the regulatory body stated.

The current average price of SSGC is around Rs779.88 per mmBtu whereas the current average prescribed price is Rs838.30 per mmBtu. The company has also demanded an estimated RLNG cost of service at Rs 30.48 per mmBtu for 2021-22.

In its petition to OGRA, the state-owned SSGC reported a revenue shortfall of Rs5,789 million or Rs18.16 per mmBtu for natural gas consumers and Rs18,680 million or Rs40.43 per mmBtu for RLNG consumers. The Motion for review (MFR) petition had been filed with OGRA on September 15, 2021.

Shortfall claimed in MFR and in line with the changes in the cost of gas, a shortfall of Rs18399 million or Rs58.42 per mmBtu for natural gas consumers and Rs30,817 million or Rs60.46 per mmBtu shortfall for RLNG consumers has been worked out in the review of estimated revenue requirements for FY21-22.

SSGC requested OGRA to approve an increase in the average prescribed price of SSGC effective from July 01, 2021 to compensate for the increase in the cost of gas on an immediate basis.

In the petition, SSGC stated that cost of gas estimates have been revised considering average crude oil and HSFO C&F prices of $67.51 per barrel and $393.95 per metric ton respectively.

The exchange rate parity has been taken at an average of Rs172 per dollar the year, considering the US currency would touch Rs180 by June 2022.

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Pakistan reports 8 corona deaths within a day

Pakistan has reported 8 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 1,286,453. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 28,761 on Saturday.

According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 431 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
Punjab remains the worst-hit province in terms of deaths followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Till now 13,035 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab, 7,622 in Sindh 5,858 in KP, 958 in Islamabad, 742 in Azad Kashmir, 360 in Balochistan, and 186 in GB.

 

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Tarin tries to allay fears, says exports and remittances will help reduce trade gap

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin on Friday tried to allay fears over the state of the economy and said that Pakistan's exports and remittances will help to reduce the country's trade gap.

Tarin's press conference comes days after the trade deficit saw a steep rise of 162.4 per cent during November, driven largely by a more than triple increase in imports compared to exports.

This caused the Pakistan Stock Exchange's benchmark KSE-100 index to bleed 2,134.99 points or 4.71 per cent, the highest number of points in a day since March 2020.

Simultaneously, the dollar appreciated further to set a new record on Thursday, closing at Rs176.42 after gaining 94 paisa.

In addition, inflation during the month of November also edged up to 11.5pc from 9.2pc, the highest increase noted in the past 20 months.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad alongside Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, Tarin said that the country was witnessing inflation due to a rise in the global prices of commodities.

"India is also facing the same situation. Their trade deficit is $20 billion today compared to $10bn ten years ago. And the reason for that is price escalation," he said.

Comparing imports for October and November, Tarin said that the import bill went up from $6.3bn to $7.5bn. He stated that imports had increased in value and gone down in terms of quantity.

"There is a 72pc increase in the import of petroleum products in terms of value and an 11pc increase in terms of volume," he said.

Likewise, crude petroleum imports increased 86pc in value and only five per cent in quantity while palm oil and soya bean increased 75pc in value and only five per cent in volume. Pulses grew by 34pc in value and only five per cent in quantity, he said.

Tarin said that the situation would not last and said that the "disequilibrium" would get fixed once global prices stabilise.

Tarin stated that the government often uses the phrase "Ghabranay ki baat nahin hai" (there is nothing to worry about) as it is necessary to see where the country's economic fundamentals are headed. "Our economic fundamentals are growing perfectly."

He said that people had a tendency to "get dramatic" which caused the stock market to fall by 2,000 points. "[But] there was little coverage when the stock market rose for two days."

Addressing the common man, Tarin said that the country's economy was "headed in the right direction". "We understand that the middle class and the lower middle class is suffering, but they need to be patient for a little more," he said, adding that international prices will nosedive soon.

"As soon as prices go down, our exports and remittances will collectively help to reduce the trade gap," he said.

Meanwhile, Dawood highlighted that the country's exports in November stood at $2.9bn from $2.7bn in October. "Hopefully, our exports will reach $3bn in December," he said.

"In October, our imports were $6.3bn and they increased to $7.7bn in November. Similarly, there was a surge in the import of machinery. It means the size of our industries is increasing and I don't think there is a reason to worry," he added.

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US, Russia seek to avoid nightmare confrontation over Ukraine

Momen­tum was building on Thursday for direct talks between US President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin as both sides sought to avoid a “nightmare” confrontation over Ukraine.

The Russian and US foreign ministers came face to face in Sweden to discuss recent allegations raised by Kiev and its Western allies that Russia could invade ex-Soviet Ukraine this winter.

Western powers have been sounding the alarm for weeks about Russia massing troops along the border with Ukraine, further stoking tensions in an area where a long-running conflict has already left 13,000 dead.

Moscow, which seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and backs separatists fighting Kiev, has strongly denied it is plotting an attack and blames Nato for fuelling tensions.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday called for “long-term security guarantees” on his country’s borders to halt Nato’s eastward expansion after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

As Lavrov warned that the “nightmare scenario of a military confrontation was returning” in Europe, Blinken said it was “likely the presidents will speak directly in the near future”.

Russia also said that it hopes for “contact” between Putin and Biden in the coming days.

“The date has not yet been agreed. There are difficulties in aligning the calendars of the two leaders, but contact is very necessary, our problems are multiplying,” said Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

“There is no movement on bilateral affairs, which are more and more reaching an acute crisis phase. There is no mutual understanding about how to de-escalate the situation in Europe,” he was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

“The situation in Europe is very alarming,” he added.

“It’s clear that this will be one of the main topics of discussion at the presidential level.”

Attending a meeting in Stockholm of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Lavrov accused Nato of inching its military infrastructure closer to Russia’s borders.

Blinken said the US had “deep concerns about Russia’s plans for renewed aggression against Ukraine,” and warned Moscow of “serious consequences” if Russia “decides to pursue confrontation”.

But the top US diplomat also struck a conciliatory note, saying the US was ready to “facilitate” the “full implementation” of the Minsk peace accords.

The Minsk deal was reached after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and aimed at resolving the conflict with pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine but was never enforced.

“The best way to avert a crisis is through diplomacy,” Blinken said.

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PSL 7: PCB announces tournament schedule

The countdown to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s marquee event — the Pakistan Super League 2022 — began today when the schedule of the seventh edition of one of the most popular and competitive cricket leagues was announced.

Following an opening ceremony, defending champions Multan Sultans will take on hosts and 2020 champions Karachi Kings on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at the National Stadium with the first ball to be bowled at 7pm PKT.

2019 champions Quetta Gladiators will go toe to toe with 2017 winners Peshawar Zalmi on the following day on Friday, January 28.

In the first of the six double-headers to be played in the 32-day and 34-match tournament, Multan Sultans will take on 2020 runners-up Lahore Qalandars at 2pm PKT, which will be followed by the Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators’ fixture that will begin at 7pm PKT on Saturday, January 29, 2022.

Two-time champions Islamabad will be in action on Sunday, January 30 when they will lock horns with Peshawar Zalmi, with the evening match to be played between arch-rivals Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars.

After Karachi, which will host 15 matches from January 27 to February 7, action will shift to the Gaddafi Stadium where the remaining 15 league matches and the four play-offs will be played from February 10-27.

The February 27 final will be the first time since 2017 when the headquarters of Pakistan cricket will hold the final.

National Stadium had staged the finals from 2018 to 2020, while Abu Dhabi was the venue for the 2021 final where Sultans defeated Zalmi by 47 runs.

The PCB has designed the 2022 tournament in such a way that each side will play equal number of matches in Karachi and Lahore, as well as games under natural and artificial lights.

PSL Draft 2022

The PCB has decided the PSL Draft 2022 will be held at the High-Performance Centre in Lahore on Sunday, 12 December, with the event to kick-off at 3pm.

Each side will come to the draft with a maximum of eight-player retentions from the last event. Following the finalisation of player categories, the transfer and retention window is now officially open and will close on December 10.

In the Platinum Category, Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick, followed by Multan Sultans, Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi, and Quetta Gladiators. Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in the Diamond Category, followed by Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans.

Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in the Gold Category, Peshawar Zalmi will have the first pick in the Silver Category, Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in Emerging Category and Quetta Gladiators will have the first pick in Supplementary Category.

Local players’ category renewals

The PCB, following a review and assessment process, has updated local players’ categories.

In the biggest moves, Pakistan wicketkeeper/batter and Multan Sultan’s captain Mohammad Rizwan (previously Silver), Asif Ali of Islamabad United (previously Gold) and Lahore Qalandars’ Haris Rauf (previously Diamond) have been placed in Platinum Category.

Multan Sultans’ Sohaib Maqsood, who was Player of PSL 6, and Haider Ali of Peshawar Zalmi have moved up from Silver and Gold Categories to Diamond Category, respectively.

Schedule

Matches from January 27 to February 7 to be played at the National Stadium, Karachi; matches from Feb 10-27 to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium)

27 Jan - Karachi Kings vs Multan Sultans

28 Jan - Quetta Gladiators vs Peshawar Zalmi

29 Jan - Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars; Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators

30 Jan - Peshawar Zalmi vs Islamabad United; Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars

31 Jan - Quetta Gladiators vs Multan Sultans

1 Feb - Islamabad United vs Multan Sultans

2 Feb - Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars

3 Feb - Quetta Gladiators vs Islamabad United

4 Feb - Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi

5 Feb - Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars; Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans

6 Feb - Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United

7 Feb - Quetta Gladiators vs Lahore Qalandars

10 Feb - Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi

11 Feb - Lahore Qalandars vs Multan Sultans

12 Feb - Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators

13 Feb - Peshawar Zalmi vs Karachi Kings; Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators

14 Feb - Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings

15 Feb - Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators

16 Feb - Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings

17 Feb - Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi

18 Feb - Multan Sultans vs Quetta Gladiators; Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings

19 Feb - Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United

20 Feb - Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings; Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United

21 Feb - Lahore Qalandars vs Peshawar Zalmi

23 Feb - Qualifier (1 vs 2)

24 Feb - Eliminator 1 (3 vs 4)

25 Feb - Eliminator 2 (Loser Qualifier 1 vs Winner Eliminator 1)

27 Feb – (Qualifier v Eliminator 2) Final

Match timings

Friday’s double-headers – 3pm & 8pm

Other than Friday’s double-headers – 2pm & 7pm

All single-headers – 7pm

 

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Ramiz Raja reveals he plotted Rohit Sharma's dismissal with Babar Azam

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja and Pakistan skipper Babar Azam plotted star Indian opener Rohit Sharma's dismissal in the T20 World Cup before the match even began.

This was revealed by Ramiz Raja in a podcast interview with the BBC.

Raja disclosed how he and Babar Azam spoke about dismissing Sharma.

"I asked [Babar] what are your plans against India," said Raja.

According to Raja, Babar Azam replied that he has plans and that the team intends to employ Cricviz and do the matchup.

"I understand but India will also be using Cricviz and then they will have a ploy set up against you too," the PCB chairman had responded to Babar Azam.

So, that becomes nothing for us, he had added.

Raja then told Babar Azam to "get Shaheen Afridi bowling at 100mph, get a man at short-leg and a 45."

"Just bowl that inswinging yorker at 100mph and do not give him a single and keep him on strike," Raja had told him.

"You will get him out."

Shaheen Afridi had dismissed Rohit Sharma, courtesy of a fast, inswinging yorker on the very first ball he faced.

Later, he clean bowled KL Rahul in his next over, dealing India back-to-back crushing blows.

With figures of 3/31, Shaheen Afridi managed to play an integral part in restricting India to 151/7 off their 20 overs.

Half-centuries by Mohammad Rizwan and skipper Babar Azam helped Pakistan vanquish the Men In Blue for the first time in a World Cup match.

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Canada region drops Covid booster eligibility age

Canada's Ontario province, its most populous and with its most Covid infections, announced Thursday it is lowering the eligibility age for Covid boosters from 70 to 50 years old.

These third shots will be available starting December 13, the government said in a statement, adding that it plans in January to further expand eligibility for booster doses "based on age and risk."

"Achieving the highest vaccination rates possible remains our best tool to protect us, reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission, and fight the significant surge of new cases and the new Omicron variant," Ontario's chief public health officer Kieran Moore said.

Ontario has recorded 620,000 Covid infections or more than one-third of Canada's total.

Alberta in the west is also lowering the eligibility age for booster shots to 60 years starting December 6, and said it is planning to soon open up third shots to everyone under 18 years, but did not specify a timeline.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week said there will be sufficient supplies of booster shots.

"We have lots of vaccines for boosters in Canada," he told reporters on Wednesday. "We're receiving more into the new year. We are fine in terms of quantity."

Canada's national advisory committee on immunization currently recommends booster shots for high-risk groups, including those over 70 years or older, at least six months after their second dose.

According to the latest government data, almost 90 percent of Canada's population 12 years and older, or 30 million people, have received at least one Covid vaccine jab. Eighty-six percent are fully vaccinated.

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Asad Umar berates PDM in Islamabad rally

Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar taunted the Pakistan Democratic Movement Friday, saying that the Opposition alliance had threatened to hold a long march but "fled after having tea and biscuits."

The minister was speaking at a PTI rally in Islamabad where he took digs at the PDM, saying that despite predicting the government's downfall, the Opposition alliance itself got destroyed.

"I advised them not to come to Islamabad [for the long march]," taunted Umar. "The PDM sent Maulana Fazlur Rehman to Islamabad but fled itself."

He took shots at PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, saying that whenever he issued threats, no one took them seriously.

"If Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari threatens someone, do you get scared?" he asked the crowd. "PDM, at least bring someone whose threats can be taken seriously."

The minister said that the PDM had taken a hit by not going ahead with its proposed long march and had, in the process, saved itself from further embarrassment.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan's example shows that when you work towards a goal with sincerity, you [ultimately] achieve success," he said.

Earlier, the minister had held a meeting to review the Greater Karachi Water Supply Project K-IV progress in the capital. Additional Secretary Development Abdul Aziz Uqaili, Project Director Amir Mugal, and Project Consultants Dr Bashir Lakhani and senior officials attended the meeting.

The Project Director briefed the Minister about the revised PC-1 of the K-IV project, the project components, and design details. It was informed in the meeting that WAPDA has completed the revised design of 650 MGD K-IV to be executed as phases. The Project Work is to commence in 3-4 months, to be completed by October 2023. All planning, design, and procurement activities are as per the project timeline, and the construction of this project will be completed by October 2023.

The project director informed the chair that the design of the K-IV project has been developed with a modular approach in which 5 pumping stations with 5 large mild steel pipes of 84 inches dia pipes each carrying 130 MGD with a total capacity of 650 MGD have been planned to be executed.

The chair was informed that WAPDA has submitted PC-1 with a modified design of 650 MGD K-IV Project with various options for execution of the project, which can be done in phases.

The Minister expressed satisfaction over the pace of progress and work on the development of revised planning and design of the project.

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Gold price extends gains in Pakistan, rises by Rs350 per tola

Gold gained for the third consecutive session on Friday, boosted by concerns regarding uncertain economic conditions which have once again sparked a flight from risky commodities towards safer ones.

Bullion prices in the local market gained Rs350 per tola and Rs300 per 10 grams today to reach Rs124,000 and Rs106,310.
On Thursday, the yellow metal closed at Rs123,650 per tola and Rs106,010 per 10 grams.
Analysts believe that inflation is always a favourable scenario for gold as concerns regarding an economic slowdown in Pakistan and worldwide are adding fuel to the uptrend in gold prices.
Local gold dealers said that the return of inflationary days in Pakistan and around the world has once again invited investors’ attention towards the yellow metal.
The price of gold in the international market slightly dropped by $4 settling at $1,773.
Both local and international investors now await the US jobs report for November due later on Friday.
Meanwhile, silver prices in the domestic market remained unchanged at Rs1,460 per tola and Rs1,251.71 per 10 grams.

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Shaheen Afridi wishes to captain Lahore Qalandars in PSL 7

Pakistan's fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi said that he is looking forward to captaining Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) if given the opportunity.

He lauded the management of Lahore Qalandars during a virtual press conference, hailing it as "exceptionally good."

"It's thrilling to perform for the Lahore Qalandars, I've been playing with them for a number of years," he said.

Meanwhile, explaining the bowling challenges in Bangladesh he said that it is difficult to bowl on a slow pitch.

The lanky left-arm pacer noted, "Bowling is good if the bowler is aggressive and strong."
While speaking about attacking batters with bowling partner Hasan Ali, who is also in spectacular form these days, Afridi remarked that Hasan Ali is a fighter, and it feels great to bowl alongside him.

He said that he would work hard in the second Test against Bangladesh and win the series.

"When the captain gives the ball, I strive to perform well and win for the team; I try to give my 100% by bowling strongly," Afridi stated.

He added that if a player fails in a match, he should not be deemed a failure, noting that Test cricket is tough.

Pakistan cricket team is busy preparing to vanquish Bangladesh in the second Test match of the two-match series starting tomorrow [Saturday] and complete another whitewash over the hosts.

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Domestic inflation is lower than last year: Tarin

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin on Friday stated that the country's economy is moving in the right direction, adding that exports and remittances will shrink Pakistan's widening trade gap.

Speaking during a press conference along with Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, the PM's aide addressed the anxiety among the investors caused due to a historic high trade deficit.

"An increase in revenue means that the country's economy is growing," Tarin said, highlighting that our exports and remittances have also increased significantly.

The adviser claimed that the economy and the economic situation in Pakistan "is moving in the right direction."

He mentioned that rising commodity prices in the international market have increased the import bill by $1.5 billion.

Shedding light on soaring inflation, Tarin said that the items whose prices increased were all imported goods.

"Revenue is now 36% higher than last year," he said, adding that inflation is rising globally.

The adviser mentioned that domestic inflation is lower than last year.

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Azam Swati apologises to ECP

Federal Minister for Railways and PTI leader Azam Swati Friday apologised to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over his allegations against the commission.

A bench, comprising ECP members Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Shah Mohammad Jatoi, conducted the hearing of the show-cause notice issued against the minister.

During the hearing, Barrister Ali Zafar, lawyer for Azam Swati, appeared before the ECP and submitted an apology letter from the federal minister.

"Was he avoiding coming [before the court]?" asked a commission member.

"He [Azam Swati] had to go to Quetta for some important work, otherwise he would have come," answered Barrister Ali Zafar.

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Sialkot factory workers' mob tortures foreign manager to death

A foreigner working at a private factory on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot was tortured to death on Friday by a mob.

According to DPO Omar Saeed Malik, the incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot where the manager of a private factory was severely beaten to death by employees.

Per police reports, the employees also vandalised the factory located on Wazirabad Road and blocked traffic.

Upon receiving a report of the incident, a heavy contingent of police reached the spot and tried to control the situation.

According to police officials, after successful talks with a visibly angry group of protesters, traffic was resumed on Wazirabad Road.

The DPO said an investigation into the death of the foreign manager is underway.

CM orders inquiry

Responding to the development, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar said he was "extremely shocked at the horrific Sialkot incident", as he stressed that no one was allowed to take the law into their hands.

"I have instructed IG Police to thoroughly investigate it [...] Rest assured, individuals involved in this inhumane act will not be spared!!" the chief minister said.

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Agha Siraj Durrani to surrendered before NAB

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday ordered Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani to surrender before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The orders were given during a hearing of the provincial assembly speaker's plea seeking bail in an assets beyond means case.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, was hearing the plea.

During the hearing, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah observed that the Sindh High Court rejected Durrani's bail plea on the basis of merit.

"Supreme Court cannot conduct a hearing on this plea without the high court's verdict," he remarked.

"You must have been in the jail if SHC had rejected your bail plea," Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said while addressing Durrani.

"Why should the court offer you leniency when you didn't surrender to the police?" he asked.

The apex court ordered Durrani to turn himself in, saying: "First comply with the SHC's order and surrender before NAB and then [the court] will conduct a hearing on this case next week."

Meanwhile, the SC also rejected Durrani's request to restrict NAB officials from arresting him from the courtroom.

"We have turned ourselves in before you [apex court]," Naqvi said.

At this, Justice Bandial directed Durrani to first surrender before NAB. "We had given you concession earlier as well. There is a high court's order against you."

"We will not interfere in NAB’s matter,” the judge stated.

The court later adjourned the case till next week.

Earlier, the apex court had nullified the SHC's orders pertaining to his release on bail in the case.

Durrani and 18 others accused have been indicted in the case by an accountability court in Karachi.

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Minister iformatio urges Opposition to review decision to boycott briefing on national security

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, in reaction to the Opposition's announcement to boycott the upcoming in-camera briefing of the national security committee, said that the decision is unfortunate.

The Opposition parties announced on Thursday their decision not to participate in the meeting to be held on December 6, citing the government's "dictatorial" behaviour as its reason.

Taking to Twitter, Fawad urged the Opposition to review its decision and earnestly attend the meeting.

اپوزیشن کا پارلیمان کی قومی سلامتی کمیٹی کی میٹنگ کا بائیکاٹ افسوسناک ہے، سات دہائیوں میں پہلی بار کوئ حکومت اپنی سیکیورٹی پالیسی پارلیمان کو پیش کر رہی ہے یہ سیاسی معاملہ نہیں بلکہ قومی سلامتی کا معاملہ ہے، اپوزیشن اپنے فیصلے پر نظرثانی کرے اور سنجیدگی سے اجلاس میں شرکت کرے

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) December 3, 2021

 

"It is the first time in seven decades that a government is presenting its policy on national security in the Parliament," he wrote.

"It is a matter of national security, not a political affair," Chaudhry said.

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Google delays office return until January as COVID-19 worries linger

Google is extending its voluntary return-to-office policy through January next year, CEO Sundar Pichai said on Tuesday, citing uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in many parts of the world.

The rapid spread of the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant is also making companies reconsider their mask mandates and vaccination policies.

Pichai said in an email to employees,"Beyond January 10, we will enable countries and locations to make determinations on when to end voluntary work-from-home based on local conditions". 

In the last few weeks, companies including Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) and Lyft (LYFT.O) delayed their return-to-office timelines to 2022 for U.S. workers due to the pandemic. 

Google had earlier delayed its return-to-office policy from September to October. It was one of the first companies to ask its employees to work from home due to the health crisis.

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US government shutdown averted hours before deadline

The US Congress has passed a stopgap bill to fund federal agencies until 18 February, avoiding a costly government shutdown over the festive season. In a 69-28 vote, the Senate backed the measure approved earlier by the House of Representatives. President Joe Biden is now expected to sign it into law.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, "I am glad that, in the end, cooler heads prevailed". The bill was passed hours before the funding would have stopped on Friday.

This would have left unpaid millions of workers in the public sector over Christmas and New Year, and museums and parks would have been shut.

A group of Republican Senators had threatened to derail the funding bill in protest over Mr Biden's push for the federally-mandated Covid vaccination for employees at large companies.

But their attempt to attach an amendment preventing the enforcement of the vaccine initiative was thwarted by Democrats.

The funding bill was approved by the House of Representatives earlier on Thursday in a 221-212 vote.

It is the latest example of the bitter political tug-of-war around government funding that has resulted in several shutdowns in recent years.

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Musk exercises more options, sells Tesla shares worth $1.01 bln

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has sold another 934,091 shares of the electric vehicle maker worth $1.01 billion to meet his tax obligations related to the exercise of options to buy 2.1 million shares, regulatory filings showed on Thursday. In early November, the world's richest person tweeted that he would sell 10% of his stock if users of the social media platform approved. A majority of them had agreed with the sale.

Since Nov. 8, Musk has exercised options to buy 10.7 million shares and sold 10.1 million shares for $10.9 billion.

Following a flurry of options exercise, Musk still has an option to buy about 10 million more shares at $6.24 each, which expires in August next year.

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China app giant Didi plans US stock market exit in move to Hong Kong

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Global has announced plans to take its shares off the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and move its listing to Hong Kong. The firm has come under intense pressure since its US debut in July.

Within days of the initial public offering (IPO) Beijing announced a crackdown on technology companies listing overseas.

Earlier on Thursday the US market watchdog unveiled tough new rules for Chinese firms that list in America.

"Following careful research, the company will immediately start delisting on the New York stock exchange and start preparations for listing in Hong Kong," the company said on its account on Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblogging network.

In a separate English language statement Didi said its board had approved the move, adding: "The company will organise a shareholders meeting to vote on the above matter at an appropriate time in the future, following necessary procedures."

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Pakistan rejects India's 'mischievous spin' given to Kartarpur photoshoot

Pakistan has summoned a senior diplomat from the High Commission for the Republic of India to convey the "categorical rejection" of India's response to the recently surfaced incident involving a Pakistani model who posed bareheaded at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Pakistan "categorically rejects the mischievous spin given by India" to the matter.

It was conveyed to the Indian diplomat that the incident was swiftly addressed and clarified, stating that the "Government of Pakistan accords the highest primacy to the rights of the minorities. Sanctity of religious places and revered sites of every community is ensured in the country."
The statement further stated that the Indian diplomat was told to urge their government to investigate the incidents of gross and systematic persecution of minorities in India which continue with impunity and state complicity, instead of pointing fingers at Pakistan.

"Given its systematic marginalisation and brutalisation of minorities, India has no locus standi to even feign concern for minorities elsewhere."

Pakistan urged the Indian authorities to focus on ensuring effective protection of their own minorities and places of worship from repeated instances of desecration, hate crimes and mob lynching in the country.

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Moeed Yusuf meets with Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev in Moscow

National Security Advisor (NSA) Dr Moeed Yusuf led a six-member delegation to a meeting with the Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev, in Moscow on Wednesday.

A statement issued by the Pakistan Embassy in Moscow said that the NSA had been invited by his Russian counterpart to hold the delegation-level talks.

The meeting between the two focused on bilateral relations between Pakistan and Russia, as well as international relations and the region's evolving situation.

In the bilateral domain, matters of mutual interest including cooperation in economic, energy, defence, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, and information and cyber security came under discussion.

The two sides discussed the situation in Afghanistan at length and resolved to support all efforts to bring lasting peace in Afghanistan, confirmed the press release.

The two expressed grave concern over the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and urged the need for practical steps by the international community to avert the impending situation, stated the media release.

Dr Mooed and Nikolai Patrushev expressed satisfaction over the trajectory of their bilateral relations and agreed to remain engaged on all matters of mutual importance.

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NCOC urges provinces to speed up the vaccination process

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) urged provinces in a morning session on Thursday to speed up the coronavirus vaccination process in light of the rising trend of the Omicron variant around the world and decided to strictly enforce the vaccination regime.

Stating that vaccination is the only method to prevent the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, the forum thoroughly discussed the city-wise COVID-19 vaccination process across the country, an NCOC statement said.

According to the statement, the COVID-19 positivity ratio, disease prevalence, number of deaths, and new admissions were also discussed in the session.
The vaccination targets for each district have been evaluated, and all-out efforts are being made to engage provinces in meeting the specified immunisation goals, the statement said.

It added that the overall number of vaccines, administration, procurement, and vaccination balance were also discussed during the meeting.

Furthermore, the current state of the oxygen generation and distribution processes throughout the country was also reviewed during the meeting.

With a special emphasis on remote places with logistical challenges, NCOC recommended the development of oxygen plants in various locations throughout the country.

Pakistan has announced a ban on entry from six southern African countries as well as Hong Kong "due to threat" from the new COVID-19 variant Omicron.

A statement by NCOC on Saturday said that a ban on direct or indirect inbound travel from South Africa, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, and Eswatini has been imposed, with the countries placed in Category C "with immediate effect".

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President Alvi signs EVM bill passed by Parliament

President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday signed the Election (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which had earlier been passed by the Parliament and asked opposing voices not to be afraid of “simple” electronic voting machines (EVMs) which he hoped would help in holding a fair election and bringing an end to rigging.

“People will have to trust it. It involves no advancement. It is too simple. The country achieves progress by adopting new things,” the president said while addressing a ceremony.

Passed by the Parliament, the bill provides for holding of the next general election through the EVM as well as granting the right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis through i-voting.

He said the EVM would ensure holding a fair election which had long been desired in Pakistan as every election followed controversies and rigging charges which also impacted the credibility of the respective governments.

He said that after its success in the upcoming elections, EVM would be marketed as the “product of Pakistan.”

Calling it a “great step”, the president said the legislation was made possible owing to the consistency of Prime Minister Imran Khan and hard work by the cabinet members despite huge resistance.

He said that it would help print the vote at the spot instead of printing the ballot paper at the press.

The president went on to say that the machine would help to do away practice of printing extra ballot papers which used to be sold out later, the kidnapping of presiding officers, and confusion in the counting process.

He said while using EVMs that voters would cast their vote by touching the screen instead of stamping the ballot paper.

“The process is the same. Then what is the resistance for?” he questioned.

He explained that for an accurate result, votes would be counted through an in-built calculator, though manual counting would also be available for sceptics.

He clarified that the Ministry of Science and Technology was not a manufacturer of the EVMs rather it just made a prototype for the experiment. It would be the Election Commission of Pakistan to select EVMs based on the required specifications.

Coming to i-voting for overseas Pakistanis, the president recounted his as well as PTI’s legal and political struggle to grant voting rights to expatriates.

Rubbishing the notion of hacking, the president quoted the 2018 data of digital transactions worth $5 trillion a day which he said involved far lesser chances of hacking than a plane crash.

Terming the innovations as key to development, President Alvi said following the world’s footsteps was no service to the country.

He said due to multiple complications, physical voting for expatriates was not possible.

The president said some countries had rejected the EVMs because they had their own better systems in place. Contrarily, Pakistan needed it owing to its system’s weakness.

He said the EVM would help to alleviate the confusion caused by the post-election rigging charges and bring about a strong government to support democracy.

“Don’t worry, the nation will be convinced. Just like this one, the country will make progress in other fields too,” the president remarked.

 

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Finance adviser Shoukat Tareen files nomination papers for vacant Senate seat from KP

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin on Thursday filed his nomination papers for a vacant Senate seat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Last month, PTI's Muhammad Ayub Afridi submitted his resignation as member of the upper house to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and vacated his seat. According to media reports, the government wanted to get Tarin elected to Senate on the seat vacated by Afridi to ensure he can become the finance minister again.

Tarin's lawyer filed the nomination papers at the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) Peshawar Office. Provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Khan Bangash were Tarin's proposer and seconder, respectively.

Speaking to the media, Bangash said that all kinds of people lived in the province, adding that Tarin's "roots" were from KP. "People from other political parties have also gotten Senate tickets from KP," he said.
He added that Tarin's vote was registered in Mardan and that his wife also belonged to the province.

Polling for the vacant Senate seat will be held in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Dec 20. As per the schedule, the candidates will file their nomination papers with the returning officer from Nov 30 till Dec 2, while the names of the nominated candidates will be published on Dec 3.

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Twitter removes more than 3,000 accounts related to state-linked information operations

Twitter Inc. said on Thursday it has removed more than 3,000 accounts that were operating as foreign state-linked information operations.

The Twitter accounts that were removed were linked to operations attributed to six countries, including Mexico, China and Russia, Twitter said in a blog post.

Of the 3,465 accounts removed, 2,160 were linked to operations attributed to China.

The company also said it will start the Twitter moderation research consortium in early 2022 to study platform governance issues.

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Pakistan announces squads for T20I and ODI series against West Indies

Pakistan cricket selectors on Thursday announced the T20I and ODI squads for the home series against the West Indies, which will be played in Karachi from December 13-22, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.

In a statement, the PCB said the 20-over matches will count towards the ICC T20I Rankings, while the 50-over games will be part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

From the 18 players who were part of the recently-concluded T20I series against Bangladesh, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shoaib Malik have been left out, while fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain has been added to the 15-man squad, the board said.

Likewise, from the 17 players who were available for selection for the England ODIs in July, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Wasim Jnr have replaced Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Salman Ali Agha and Sarfaraz Ahmed in the 17-member side, while Abdullah Shafique has been named as a traveling reserve, it added.
T20Is

Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir

ODIs

Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Hasnain, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir

Traveling reserve: Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab)

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PM Imran directs to formulate effective media communication strategy

Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed to formulate an effective media communication strategy to highlight the steps taken by the government for welfare of masses.

He was talking to Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain in Islamabad on Thursday.

Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister for Information Hassan Khawar and Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister for Information Barrister Saif Ali were also present on the occasion.

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UN chief slams COVID-19 'travel apartheid' as unacceptable

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that travel restrictions imposed over COVID-19 that isolate any one country or region as "not only deeply unfair and punitive - they are ineffective."

Speaking to reporters in New York, Guterres said the only way to reduce the risk of transmission while allowing for travel and economic engagement was to repeatedly test travelers, "together with other appropriate and truly effective measures."

"We have the instruments to have safe travel. Let's use those instruments to avoid this kind, of allow me to say, travel apartheid, which I think is unacceptable," Guterres said.

Omicron was first identified in southern Africa and many countries, including the United States and Britain, have announced travel curbs and other restrictions on the region. Africa has some of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates worldwide due to a lack of access to doses.

Guterres has long warned about the dangers of vaccine inequality around the world and that low immunization rates are "a breeding ground for variants."

"These travel bans are not justified," said African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat at the joint news conference with Guterres after the annual meeting between the United Nations and the African Union.

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