World observes "Labour Day" today

The Labour Day — also known as May Day — is being observed today (Wednesday) around the world to express solidarity and honour the rights of the labour class.

Special rallies, publications, television programmes, and seminars have been scheduled to express solidarity and honour their works. Rallies would be taken out in various parts of provincial capital by different students and political parties.

The purpose of celebrating this day is to initiate steps for providing job protection to labourers and industrial workers against any exploitation.

Radio Pakistan has also arranged special programmes to create awareness about workers' rights and to highlight the dignity in hard work.

All public and private educational institutions, markets, and other organisations would remain closed in connection with May Day, which was declared a public holiday.

The Punjab Home Department also directed the concerned departments to provide foolproof security to the participants of rallies and walks on Labour Day.

Ehsas Programme: PM Khan directs for registration of formal, informal labourers

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed registration of all labourers associated with formal and informal sectors in the country so that their complete record could be available.

He said the steps taken for protecting the rights of labour community should be taken in phases.

Chairing a high-level meeting about the steps taken for the welfare of the labourers in the country, the prime minister said the real challenge was the implementation of the required laws for protecting the rights of labours and it needed full concentration.

The prime minister said it was a top priority of the government to protecting the rights of the society's downtrodden sections, including labourers and domestic workers. He appreciated the steps taken in this regard by the Punjab government.

The meeting decided that after approval by the prime minister, the government was going to formally launch ‘Ehsas Programme for Labour’ under Ehsas Programme of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

The meeting was attended by Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Dr Sania Nishtar, Special Assistants Syed Zulfikar Bukhari, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, spokesperson Nadeem Afzal Chan, Special Assistant Yousuf Baig Mirza, Zahoor Awan, Majid Aziz, Shaukat Ali Khan, Dr Alia Khan, and Dr Laila Shahnaz.

Representatives of the International Labour Organization, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank were also present.

The meeting was told that the Ehasas Programme of the government for social welfare of the people was the biggest and a comprehensive programme, in which a total of 115 social welfare programmes were being set up for poor, widows, orphans, patients, vulnerable people, labourers, peasants, jobless and shelter-less and old people, poor students, women, and other weak segments of the society.

The prime minister was told that under the ‘Mazdoor ka Ehsas’ program, special attention was being given to the welfare of domestic and overseas Pakistani labours associated with various fields.

The prime minister was told that presently no proper and effective system was in place in the country for the welfare of the labour community associated with various formal and informal sectors.

The meeting was told that under the Ehsas Programme for Labour, Ehsas Labour Welfare and Social Protection Experts Group was being set up which would ensure to present recommendations for the welfare of the labour community working in various fields.

The prime minister was told that under the ‘Mazdoor ka Ehsas’ programme registration process for labours associated with formal and informal sectors would be implemented in the next one year which would help in ensuring the provision of pension and other facilities to the labour community.

The meeting was told that Ehsas Labour Welfare and Social Protection Experts Group would identify and remove shortcomings and lacunas in the present the labour laws so that it could be removed besides removal of corruption, exploitation and other problems in social welfare programmes for the labour community could also be removed.

Dr Sania Nishatar told the meeting that on the directives of the prime minister, the number of Community Welfare Attaches, posted abroad at the embassies, was being increased.

She said the Protector of Immigration offices had also been increased while a detailed pre-departure briefing would be given to the labours going abroad about the working condition, their rights and other affairs in the required countries.

The meeting was told that a Labour Market Information System was being initiated to ensure the protection of the labour’s rights.

The prime minister was also given a detailed briefing about progress on the labour laws and the legal and administrative steps for the welfare of the labour community at the provincial level.

Venezuela's Guaido calls for 'largest march in history' in uprising effort

Venezuelans were expected to take to the streets on Wednesday for what opposition leader Juan Guaido pledged would be the “largest march” in the country’s history, a day after he called for the military to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

In his boldest effort yet to gain the support of the armed forces, Guaido appeared early Tuesday morning outside a Caracas air force base with dozens of National Guard members. That triggered a day of violent protests, leaving more than 100 injured but without any concrete signs of defection from the armed forces leadership.

“We know that Maduro does not have the backing or the respect of the armed forces,” Guaido said in a video message posted to his social media accounts on Tuesday evening. “We have seen that protest yields results. We should keep up the pressure.”

Whether the protest turnout meets those lofty hopes will provide a key test for Guaido, as some supporters grow frustrated that Maduro remains in office more than three months after Guaido - who leads the opposition-controlled National Assembly - invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency, arguing Maduro’s May 2018 re-election was illegitimate.

While Guaido earned the backing of the United States and most Western countries, the armed forces have stood by Maduro, who retains the support of allies like Russia, China and Cuba. That has frustrated Guaido’s bid to assume the day-to-day functions of government on an interim basis - which he says would be a prelude to calling new elections.

Venezuelan living standards have declined even further in the first several months of the year, with a series of blackouts and water shortages adding to hyperinflation and chronic shortages of food and medicine that have prompted millions to emigrate.

“I hope this will be the last time we have to take to the streets,” said Claudia Riveros, a 36-year-old bakery worker carrying a Venezuelan flag during Tuesday’s protest. “I want to see the end of this usurping government.”

Maduro, a socialist who calls Guaido a U.S. puppet seeking to orchestrate a coup against him, has also called on supporters to march on Wednesday.

“Tomorrow, the first of May, we will have a large, millions-strong march of the working class,” Maduro said in a Tuesday night television address. “We have been confronting different types of aggression and attempted coups never before seen in our history.”

Guaido’s choice of International Workers’ Day for a major march comes as he is making appeals to union leaders and public workers, a traditional base of support for Maduro and his predecessor and mentor, the late President Hugo Chavez.

“If he does get some degree of participation from labor movements, then that can be an additional feather in his cap,” said Risa Grais-Targow, the Latin America director at Eurasia Group in Washington, adding that the march would be “a significant barometer of his support and capacity to mobilize.”

Labour Day: President, PM reiterate Govt's resolve to protect rights of workers

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan in their messages on the eve of Labour Day today reiterated the government commitment to effectively protect the rights of workers to help them meet emerging challenges of globalization.

President in his message said Government will do its utmost to ameliorate and improve the socio-economic conditions of workers.

He said that this day is not only a reminder of the struggle of workers but also an acknowledgement of their importance for national growth and progress.

Prime Minister in his message said the labour day also affords us an opportunity to recognize the valuable contribution being made by the workers.

He said dividends of inclusive economic growth cannot be realized if the workers are deprived of their due rights and opportunities. The Prime Minister said workers are our partners in growth and development.

The Prime Minister said government is endeavoring to strengthen the labour market and have a plan to create 10 million jobs over five years in key sectors like housing, SMEs, health, education, green economy and tourism.

Imran Khan in his message felicitating the workers invited to become partner of the government in realizing Naya Pakistan.

Punjab Assembly passes new local government bill 2019

The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed the new local government bill amid the uproar and protest from opposition.

As per details, the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed two bills, The Punjab Local Government Bill 2019, The Punjab Villages Panchayats and Neighborhood Councils Bill 2019. The opposition members tear down the copies of the agenda and staged walkout from the house.

All LG intuitions will be dissolved after the approval from Punjab governor.

The decisions had been taken during a provincial cabinet meeting with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office in Lahore. Presiding over the meeting, CM Buzdar had said that the government had been committed to empower the local bodies of the province.

وزیراعظم عمران خان نے پنجاب میں نیا بلدیاتی نظام لانے کا وعدہ کیا تھا۔ آج الحمدلله پنجاب اسمبلی نے اسے منظور کر لیا ہے۔ پنجاب حکومت کپتان کے وژن کو عملی جامہ پہنانے کے لیے کوشاں ہے۔ نئے بلدیاتی نظام کی منظوری پر تمام ممبران مبارکباد کے مستحق ہیں۔#PunjabBaldiyatiInqilab

— Usman Buzdar (@UsmanAKBuzdar) April 30, 2019

Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz has decided to challenge the new Punjab Local Government Bill 2019 in the court.

Addressing media outside the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shhebaz said PA has passed the new local government bill by carrying one-sided proceeding in the house. “We’ll challenge the new local government bill in the court.

Later, The Punjab Assembly session was adjourned to meet again on Thursday afternoon at 02 PM.

Increase in gas rates necessary to improve economic condition: Omar Ayub

Petroleum Minister Omar Ayub says the PTI government inherited gas prices from the last government.

Chairing a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said increase in gas rates was necessary to improve the economic condition of gas companies.

The Minister said gas prices had not been increased since 2015 despite OGRA recommendations for it. This resulted in accumulation of unrecovered amount of over 180 billion rupees for both SNGPL and SSGC up to 30th June 2018.

The last government admitted his mistake of not increasing the gas prices at the ECC meeting held on May 17 last year.

Parliamentary diplomacy can pave way for progress in socio-economic fields: Speaker NA

The Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has said that only the parliamentary diplomacy can pave the way for mutual development and progress in all socio-economic fields.

He expressed these views while addressing seminar on "Pakistan-Kazakhstan Relation and Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy" at Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services in Islamabad today.

The speaker said that the challenges being faced by the world can be tackled by mutual dialogue. He stressed n the Parliaments to engage in meaningful dialogue for resolving all present challenges.

The Speaker said that Pakistan and Kazakhstan have always enjoyed close cooperation in the field of science, technology, agriculture, textile, pharmacology and surgical instruments.

PML-N decides to challenge Punjab Local Government Bill in court

Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz has decided to challenge the new Punjab Local Government Bill 2019 in the court.

Addressing media outside the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shhebaz said PA has passed the new local government bill by carrying one-sided proceeding in the house. “We’ll challenge the new local government bill in the court.

“What was the need to end the local body system in Punjab as its 2.5 years tenure was still remaining,” he added.

Earlier today, the Punjab Assembly passed two bills, The Punjab Local Government Bill 2019, The Punjab Villages Panchayats and Neighborhood Councils Bill 2019.

Later, The Punjab Assembly session was adjourned to meet again on Thursday afternoon at 02 PM.

Security measures being taken for Ramazan: Karachi police chief

Additional Inspector General Karachi Amir Shaikh on Tuesday said security measures were being taken for Ramazan ul Mubarak.

“We are devising plan about beggars and street crimes. We have made units to eradicate beggary,” Amir Shaikh said while talking to media in Karachi.

He said the women should be given their rights.

The Karachi police chief said the police department was working with the Inspector General Sindh for rights of women. Should any woman face a problem in the department, she should immediately inform about it, he said.

Iran will continue to export oil despite US sanctions: Hassan Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says his country will continue to export oil despite United States sanctions.

In a televised address today (Tuesday), he said that US decision to bring Iran’s oil exports at the zero level is a wrong and mistaken conception and we would not let them to prevail.

Heirs of Sahiwal incident victims move SC for judicial commission

Heirs of victims of the Sahiwal fake encounter case on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court (SC) for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the cold-blooded murders of three members of the same family by Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel.

The petition submitted in the top court sought its intervention after the Lahore High Court refused to form a judicial commission to investigate the killings.

The petition stated that the federal government has the authority to form a judicial commission, while its formation can bring forward real facts of the incident. It added that the Inspector General (IG) Punjab Police was not authorised to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), whereas, many pieces of evidence were removed by the CTD officials from the crime scene.

“JIT members had summoned the suspects for identification parade despite being well aware of the accused [responsible in the shootout]. Moreover, the JIT is not trustworthy as it has tried to provide maximum protection to the culprits,” the petition read.

It added that the Prime Minister [Imran Khan] had directed to bring forward truth through judicial inquiry [of Sahiwal incident] on April 10, whereas, the Senate’s Standing Committee [on interior] had also adopted a stance regarding the JIT for failing to find the constructs in the case.

The JIT, in its report, had stated nothing against the brutal murder of a family and government ministers had also changed their statements, it mentioned.

Moreover, it was also stated that the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed a sessions’ judge in Sahiwal to hold a judicial inquiry but it did not issue any verdict of the case.

It is pertinent to mention here that a LHC bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan had approved the petition filed by Muhammad Jalil, brother of victim Khalil, on March 20 for holding a judicial inquiry through a commission into Sahiwal police encounter.

Four people, including two women, were killed in a shady encounter involving the Punjab police’s counter-terrorism department (CTD) on a highway in the Qadirabad area of Sahiwal district on Jan 19.

The Sahiwal incident sent shock waves across the country after one of the surviving children who witnessed the episode refuted the version of the CTD.

A child, Omair Khalil, in his initial statement, said his father offered money to the people in return for not shooting at their car.

The CTD had identified one of the deceased as Zeeshan. The department says he was wanted in several cases of crime, including the kidnapping of Ali Haider Gilani, the son of former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, and several American citizens. It also says he was the deputy chief of a banned outfit.

Court orders to close inquiry against Chaudhry Brothers on NAB’s plea

An accountability court on Tuesday accepted the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to close a corruption case against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Earlier today, Accountability Judge Jawadul Hassan had reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor.

The prosecutor had contended before the court that the bureau’s chairman had given his approval to close an inquiry against the Chaudhry brothers over alleged illegal purchase of 28 plots in the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) city.

He said it transpired during investigation that it was the Chaudhry brothers’ employee who had purchased the plots and that no evidence was found to show their involvement in the scam.

He, therefore, pleaded with the judge to grant its plea to close the case against the PML-Q leaders.

Earlier, the corruption watchdog had clarified hat it shelved an inquiry against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in a Lahore Development Authority (LDA) case over lack of evidence.

“The decision to close the inquiry was taken during a meeting of the bureau’s executive board,” a spokesperson for the anti-graft watchdog said in a statement.

The bureau had initiated a probe against the Chaudhry brothers over purchase of 28 plots in LDA city.

PM Imran appreciates PTC's contribution of Rs 5 mln for Dam Fund

Regional Director Asia Pacific & Middle East British American Tobacco Guy Meldrum called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad today [Tuesday].

He presented a cheque of 5 million rupees to the Prime Minister for Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dam Fund.

Pakistan Tobacco Company Limited also pledged a donation of 20 million rupees towards PM’s Shelter Home project.

The Prime Minister appreciated the company's contribution towards the Dam Fund and Shelter Home project.

Some elements trying to malign Kashmir Freedom Movement: Farooq Haider

Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider said on Tuesday that some elements were doing negative propaganda just to malign the Kashmir Freedom Movement.

Addressing a seminar in Islamabad Raja Farooq said some elements are trying to harm the Kashmir cause by associating it with terrorists.

AJK PM also criticised the PTI government by calling it an incompetent government. “We are facing difficulty to present the stance on Kashmir issue due to the incompetency of PTI-led government.

Fantastic Beasts 3 to release in 2021

Warner Bros has set a release date for the third film in the Fantastic Beasts franchise according to The Hollywood Reporter. It will release on November 12, 2021. The last film, The Crimes of Grindelwald, released in November 2018.

Ron Sanders, president, Warner Bros’ worldwide theatrical distribution and home entertainment, said, “J.K. Rowling created an awe-inspiring universe that has captivated people of all ages, taking us on an extraordinary magical journey. Warner Bros. is so proud to be the cinematic home of the Wizarding World and is excited about the future of the Fantastic Beasts franchise.”

The Crimes of Grindelwald did not meet fans’ expectations and was dismissed by critics as well. It scored a rating of 37 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus being, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has glimmers of the magic familiar to Harry Potter fans, but the story’s spell isn’t as strong as earlier installments.”

Commercially, too, The Crimes of Grindelwald was strictly okay. It grossed a little over 653 million dollars on a budget of 200 million dollars, which appears nice on paper but the film should have earned over 1 billion dollars to match the studio’s predictions.

The film was criticised for its convoluted story and alleged retcons by JK Rowling, who wrote the screenplay of the movie. The film starred Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Jude Law, and Johnny Depp.

The chairman of the Warner Bros Pictures, Toby Emmerich, said in a statement, “We all believe this release date will give the filmmakers time and space to allow their artistry to truly flourish and deliver the best possible film to our fans.”

Czech Republic footballer Josef Sural killed in auto crash in Turkey

Czech Republic international Josef Sural was killed and six other Alanyaspor players were injured Monday when their van crashed on the way home from a Turkish league soccer match.

The 28-year-old Sural died in the hospital during emergency surgery, The six other players were reported to be in stable condition.

Cavusoglu said Sural and his six teammates hired a private luxury van to return from a game at Kayserispor in central Turkey. The crash occurred near the entrance to the town of Alanya, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.

Cavusoglu said the driver of the van was being questioned by police.

“Our pain is huge,” Cavusoglu said.

State-run Anadolu Agency said the van veered off the road and overturned. It identified the injured players as Wanderson Baiano, Steven Caulker, Isaac Sackey, Papiss Demba Cisse, Welinton Souza and Djalma Campos.

He said Sural’s wife rushed to the hospital where he informed her of the player’s death. Sural had two young daughters, he said.

Sural, a forward who made his debut for the Czech Republic national team in 2013, joined Alanyaspor in January.

The Turkish soccer federation said a minute’s silence would be observed for Sural at the start of this week’s league games.

Cabinet decides to hold audit of 1300 billion rupees circular debt

Federal Cabinet has decided to observe the office timings from 10 am to 4 pm during the holy month of Ramazan to provide maximum relief to people observing fast without compromising their productivity.

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the Cabinet meeting in Islamabad today.

Later, addressing a news conference along with Minister of Water Resources Faisal Vawda this afternoon, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said a special committee has been assigned the responsibility to prepare a Ramazan package to provide maximum relief to the masses. She said the committee will also make sure that no load-shedding is done during the holy month.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet was taken into confidence regarding the proposed local government system in Punjab that will be modeled on the one already implemented successfully in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

 

She said the new local government system will devolve the powers at the grass root level and empower local people.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information said cabinet discussed in detail five legislative bills that will help people resolve their problems as part of people friendly agenda of PTI government.

She said Enforcement of Women Property Rights bill will ensure women get their due share in inheritance. Amendments in Code of Civil Procedure will help decide the civil cases swiftly. Similarly, the Succession Certificates will now be issued by NADRA and heirs can get these within a fortnight, saving their precious time and hassle.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said Whistle Blower Protection bill will also be introduced to provide protection to whistleblowers regarding corruption in various public institutions.

She said an Anti-Corporal Punishment bill will also be tabled soon in the parliament to discourage the physical punishment and abuse at schools. Special Assistant to Prime Minister said a bill named Zainab Alert will also be introduced to stop child sexual abuse.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet also discussed OGRA's recommendation to increase the prices of petroleum products by 14 rupees per litre.

The Prime Minister directed to send this recommendation to ECC to review it in order to pass minimum burden to the people.

The cabinet also decided to hold audit of the 1300 billion rupees circular debt in order to determine who is responsible for this increase, and the facts will be presented in next cabinet meeting.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the previous Punjab government left a debt of 100 billion rupees, besides the bounced cheques of 80 billion rupees. However, due to good governance and austerity measures taken by the incumbent government, a saving of 100 billion rupees has been made at the federal level.

The Prime Minister directed to ensure that austerity steps are implemented at both federal and provincial levels.

Special Assistant to PM said the cabinet was also taken into confidence on various initiatives taken by Task Force on Institutional Reforms in various institutions.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet congratulated the Prime Minister on his successful visit to China and signing of important agreements on socio-economic development, free trade and agriculture.

Earth-destroying asteroid Threaten must be taken seriously: NASA

The head of NASA has warned that it is time to take the threat of an Earth-destroying asteroid seriously.

NASA's administrator expressed concern that similar warnings have historically prompted amusement and said that asteroid collisions were more common than people believed.

In the planetary defence exercises this week, simulating a global response to an Earth-destroying meteorite, NASA's first step will be to precisely measure the object's speed and trajectory.

After that, a decision will have to be made: attempt to prevent the collision by deflecting the asteroid, or evacuate the area it could crash into.

Planetary defence and astronomical experts have warned against humanity destroying large asteroids with nuclear weapons out of the concern that they would simply shatter into smaller dangerous pieces.

The most likely response is to evacuate the area which the asteroid is expected to collide into, especially if the asteroid is smaller than 50m (164ft) across.

 

Premier Inn owner Whitbread hit by 'acute political uncertainty'

Premier Inn owner Whitbread has warned that demand for its hotel rooms is being hit by an "acute period of political and economic uncertainty in the UK".

The group said it saw a decline in business and leisure confidence over the fourth quarter of its financial year to the end of February, with the weakness increasing into March and April.

Chief executive Alison Brittain said there were "ongoing signs of market weakness across both business and leisure especially in the UK regions".

The warning covers a period when the UK has faced intense uncertainty over the terms of its departure from the EU - though Brexit was not specifically mentioned by the company as a factor.

Whitbread said Premier Inn - which has more than 800 UK hotels - was worse hit than rivals because weakness was most felt outside London where it has a big exposure, rather than in the capital where it has a smaller presence.

It made the warning as it reported full-year results showing a 0.6% decline in like-for-like accommodation sales, largely blamed on a 3.2% slump in the fourth quarter.

The group's bottom line performance was skewed by its £3.9bn sale of Costa Coffee to Coca-Cola, which completed in January, but stripping out one-off items, pre-tax profits rose 1.2% to £438m.

Whitbread warned that the coming financial year would see weak growth in revenue per room amid a "subdued" UK market while taking a £12m loss in Germany, where it is looking to expand its presence.

It had previously warned in January that profit would not grow in 2019-20.

 

Nawaz Sharif seeks bail extension on six weeks from SC

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday sought an extension on the six-week bail granted to him on medical grounds by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

According to details the petition filed by Sharif states that a review petition has been filed in the Supreme Court on its March 26 decision.

The petition seeks an extension in the Nawaz’s bail until a decision on the review petition.

Nawaz Sharif's bail is set to expire on May 7. 

Nawaz, thrice the prime minister of Pakistan, had been in jail since December 2018 following his conviction in Al Azizia corruption reference in line with the Supreme Court’s July 2017 verdict.

An accountability court on December 24 had found the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader guilty in the Al Azizia Steel Mills reference and sentenced him to seven years in prison.

He had been granted bail on medical grounds by the apex court on March 26 for six weeks. On April 25, Nawaz Sharif submitted a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking permanent bail. 

Fake bank accounts: Qaim Ali Shah’s interim bail extended till May 8

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended interim bail of former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah till May 8 on Tuesday.

Two member bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani heard the plea.

Leader of Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) Qaim Ali Shah along with his counsel Farooq H. Naek appeared in the hearing pertaining to the fake bank accounts case.

Prosecutor NAB told the court that arrest warrants of Shah have not been issued yet, investigation against him was underway.

The court on the plea of Farooq H. Naek extended bail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and till May 8 and deferred the hearing.

On last hearing, Shah was granted bail by the court till April 30(today).

Earlier, Shah was granted bail by the IHC against surety bonds of Rs1 million each in the cases, and directed him to cooperate with the NAB investigation team.

The former chief minister is named in a report by the joint investigation team tasked to probe the fake accounts case involving PPP chairman Asif Ali Zaradi and others. Shah was among 172 people named in the report whose names were to be placed on the no-fly list.

Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and other accused, including PPP leaders and several businessmen, are facing an inquiry into the money laundering scam involving over Rs35 billion money laundered through fake bank accounts.

I am upset over not being included in the World Cup squad,Says Wahab

Wahab Riaz said he was upset over not being included in the World Cup squad as players work hard for this opportunity.

However, when asked why he wasn’t selected, Riaz told reporters to pose this question to the selection committee.

“There are good times and bad times in cricket. Whenever I get the opportunity to play for the national side I will perform.”

The fast bowler said England was the strongest side for the World Cup and Pakistan was capable of performing well in the tournament.

Mahira Khan embraces getting older with her trademark elegance

Pakistani heartthrob Mahira Khan is embracing her grey hair graciously, and in doing so, she is breaking away from the industry’s obsession with the youth.

In her latest Instagram post, the superstar admitted she was starting to look and feel older but said that she was quite liking it.

“I saw these pictures and thought - ‘Damn I look older’. I do. I feel it. In my bones. On my face. The white strands in my hair. And I quite like it - not nearly as much as I love the kid in me, but it’s getting there x,” she captioned her photos.

In the photos, the actor is donning a pleated midnight blue sari by designer duo Menahel and Mehreen, and has a fresh and glowy makeup, complete with a simple ponytail. Rounding up her look are diamond and emerald-encrusted drop earrings.

Japan's emperor performs main abdication ceremony

Outgoing Japanese Emperor Akihito on Tuesday performed the main ritual to hand over the Chrysanthemum Throne to his son Naruhito -- Japan's first abdication in more than two centuries.

Akihito technically remains emperor until the stroke of midnight when the country ushers in the new imperial era of Reiwa, or "beautiful harmony", that will last as long as Naruhito reigns.

In a brief speech, the 85-year-old said he had spent the 30 years of his reign performing his duties with "deep respect and love for the people."

"That has been a great blessing," he added.

And he offered his "heartfelt gratitude to the people of Japan who accepted me as the symbol of the state and supported me."

The brief ritual in the sumptuous "Room of Pine" in Tokyo's Imperial Palace saw the outgoing emperor turn over the throne in the presence of the imperial regalia -- an ancient sword and sacred jewel that are considered to legitimise an emperor.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe thanked the emperor, who took the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989, saying he had "fulfilled his responsibility as the symbol of Japan."

And he said the royal couple, known for their trips to comfort the victims of natural disasters, had given Japanese people "courage and hope."

CM Gilgit-Baltistan calls for timely completion of ongoing power projects

Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman has called for timely completion of ongoing power projects.

Presiding over a briefing session in Gilgit, he said in first phase 6MW hydel power project would be started at Attabad in Hunza to overcome power shortage.

He directed Power department to complete 2.5MW Kargah and one MW sai Jeglote power project by October this year.

He directed to ensure recovery of outstanding bills of electricity from consumers and Government department as well.

US plan to cripple Iranian economy doomed to fail: Iran's Vice President

Iran's First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri says a recent plan by the administration of US President Donald Trump to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero is doomed to fail, because Americans ignore the country’s immense economic potentialities.

Jahangiri made the remarks while addressing an economic meeting on the role of free trade zones in helping the country skirt the unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington against Tehran, in the southern Iranian island of Kish on Monday.

"They (Americans) seek to cripple the country’s economy and pile up social pressure [on the government] through reducing the government’s sources of revenue … but thanks to plans made [to counter such measures] this move will certainly fail,” Iran's first vice president said.

The US administration said in a statement on April 22 that, in a bid to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, buyers of Iranian oil must stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions. The move ended six months of waivers, which allowed Iran’s eight biggest buyers -- Turkey, China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan -- to continue importing limited volumes.

“The United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates ... along with our friends and allies, are committed to ensuring that global oil markets remain adequately supplied,” the White House statement said, adding, “We have agreed to take timely action to assure that global demand is met as all Iranian oil is removed from the market.”

Last November, the US enforced sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic’s banking and energy sector. However, it granted waivers to the eight major importers of Iran’s oil, fearing market instability.

Jahangiri further said the Iranian people have already been through many tough days, but they are still steadfast and will by no means forget injustices and pressures, adding, "They will give an appropriate response to those behind these pressures in due time."

"The Americans must consider real statistics and understand that their plans to make Iran's economy collapse are doomed to fail in view of the country's unique potentialities," he said.

The Iranian vice president noted that Tehran would export as much oil as it deems necessary and called on all officials to come up with strategies and means to find new sources of revenue for the country.

Speaking at a meeting with a large group of Iranian workers on Wednesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the US administration’s hostile attempts to block Iran’s oil sales will lead nowhere, and that the country will export “as much crude as it needs and wishes” in defiance of American sanctions.

“In the first place, such attempts will lead nowhere, and we are capable of exporting as much oil as we need and want,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Alibaba to pay $250m to settle lawsuit over pre-IPO warning on counterfeiting

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Monday it will pay $250 million to settle a US lawsuit faulting the Chinese e-commerce company for concealing a regulatory warning about its ability to stop counterfeiting before it went public in 2014.

The lawsuit accused Alibaba of securities fraud for failing to disclose it had met with China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce on July 16, 2014, two months before the company’s $25 billion initial public offering.

Alibaba’s American Depositary Shares slid 12.8 per cent on Jan 28-29, 2015, after the SAIC issued a white paper based on concerns raised at the meeting, saying many products sold on Alibaba websites were fake or infringed trademarks.

The white paper also said the SAIC delayed releasing its findings so the IPO would not be affected.

Monday’s proposed class-action settlement covers investors in Alibaba ADS and ADS options in the 4-1/2 months preceding the release of the white paper, which was later withdrawn. The accord, which requires court approval, also resolves claims against Alibaba officials including billionaire founder and Executive Chairman Jack Ma.

Alibaba denied wrongdoing. It said the settlement ends all pending securities litigation against the company, its executive officers and its directors.

In court papers, the plaintiffs’ lawyers called the accord “inherently fair, reasonable, and adequate,” citing potential hurdles in showing that Alibaba made false statements and intended to commit fraud.

The lawyers may seek up to 25pc of the settlement fund for legal fees, the papers show. They did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.

The Chinese company has long faced accusations that its online platforms are a haven for counterfeiters, including in lawsuits by luxury brands such as Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.

Alibaba, Amazon.com Inc, eBay Inc and other such companies have policies banning counterfeiting, and highlighted their investments to thwart the practice.

On April 3, US President Donald Trump ordered a crackdown on online counterfeiting, saying global transactions in fake and pirated goods could reach $500bn annually.

The case is In re Alibaba Group Holding Limited Securities Litigation, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-md-02631.

IHC: ECP cannot disqualify lawmakers named in ‘Fourth Schedule’

Election Commission of Pakistan was not authorised to disqualify any lawmaker named in the “Fourth schedule”, said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in its verdict issued on Tuesday.

The high court released its verdict which elucidated powers of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for disqualifying a legislator whose name is mentioned in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

Justice Amir Farooq announced the verdict, saying that ECP was not eligible to declare any lawmaker disqualified included in the list of persons.

Earlier, a petition was filed in the high court against ECP’s move which disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Shah Muhammad from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)’s Bannu-89 constituency over his inclusion in the list.

PTI’s Shah Muhammad had been disqualified as MPA and a member of district council by the commission on September 21 – 2017. Muhammad’s case had represented by prominent lawyer Dr Babar Awan.

Fourth Schedule

The Fourth Schedule is a list of proscribed individuals who are suspected of terrorism and/or sectarianism under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997. After credible intelligence information, their names are included in the fourth schedule as prescribed by the Home Department and can be subjected to restrictions on travel, speech and business.

The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) manages the list of proscribed people in ‘Fourth Schedule’ of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) after collection of data from the federal areas, provinces including the federal capital Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Special Branch of local police initiates placement of the names on the ‘Fourth Schedule’, whereas, Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Operations forwards reports to the commission of the concerned division. Later, the commission forwards the names of proscribed persons to home secretary’s office of that province.

The commissioner’s officer forwards the file to the interior secretary if the recommendations come from Islamabad.

In some cases, relevant security agencies forward names to the home secretary of the province or the Ministry of Interior while few of the cases are initiated by provincial home departments or the ministry.

Alibaba to pay $250m to settle lawsuit over pre-IPO warning on counterfeiting

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Monday it will pay $250 million to settle a US lawsuit faulting the Chinese e-commerce company for concealing a regulatory warning about its ability to stop counterfeiting before it went public in 2014.

The lawsuit accused Alibaba of securities fraud for failing to disclose it had met with China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce on July 16, 2014, two months before the company’s $25 billion initial public offering.

Alibaba’s American Depositary Shares slid 12.8 per cent on Jan 28-29, 2015, after the SAIC issued a white paper based on concerns raised at the meeting, saying many products sold on Alibaba websites were fake or infringed trademarks.

The white paper also said the SAIC delayed releasing its findings so the IPO would not be affected.

Monday’s proposed class-action settlement covers investors in Alibaba ADS and ADS options in the 4-1/2 months preceding the release of the white paper, which was later withdrawn. The accord, which requires court approval, also resolves claims against Alibaba officials including billionaire founder and Executive Chairman Jack Ma.

Alibaba denied wrongdoing. It said the settlement ends all pending securities litigation against the company, its executive officers and its directors.

In court papers, the plaintiffs’ lawyers called the accord “inherently fair, reasonable, and adequate,” citing potential hurdles in showing that Alibaba made false statements and intended to commit fraud.

The lawyers may seek up to 25pc of the settlement fund for legal fees, the papers show. They did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.

The Chinese company has long faced accusations that its online platforms are a haven for counterfeiters, including in lawsuits by luxury brands such as Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.

Alibaba, Amazon.com Inc, eBay Inc and other such companies have policies banning counterfeiting, and highlighted their investments to thwart the practice.

On April 3, US President Donald Trump ordered a crackdown on online counterfeiting, saying global transactions in fake and pirated goods could reach $500bn annually.

The case is In re Alibaba Group Holding Limited Securities Litigation, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-md-02631.

Assets beyond means case: NAB completes probe against Agha Siraj Durrani

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday completed its probe against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in the assets beyond means case.

According to details NAB Karachi has asked the accountability board’s chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal to file a reference in the case.

Durrani who is being investigated in three cases pertaining to illegal appointments, accumulating assets beyond means and embezzlement of funds was arrested by NAB on February 20.

On April 26, the Sindh High Court ordered NAB to wrap up the investigation against Durrani in four weeks.

NAB Karachi has also sent recommendations for a supplementary reference to be filed against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Kamran Michael and an inquiry to be launched Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) corruption case.

Police arrest suspected doctor for spread of HIV

Police arrested a doctor suspected to be responsible for the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Larkana’s Ratodero district, on Tuesday.

Dr Muzaffar Ghanghar, who is employed at a public hospital, is an HIV patient himself, police said, as they registered a case against the accused and produced him before a local court.

The number of HIV-positive cases rose to 39 as panic gripped the district and authorities tried to ascertain the causes behind the spread of the virus among the residents.

Twenty-two children are among the patients diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes the deadly AIDS disease which claimed a million lives worldwide in 2016.

Dr Sikander Memon, in-charge of the Aids Control Programme in Sindh, said a team will arrive in Ratodero next week to determine the causes behind the transmission of the HIV among the residents.

According to an estimate by Dr Memon, there are over 100,000 HIV-positive people in Sindh, however, the Aids Control Programme has only 10,350 registered patients who are provided treatment.

Larkana continues to top the list of districts most affected by HIV in Sindh, with the total number of AIDS patients in Larkana at more than 2,400.

In total, 76.1 million people worldwide have been infected with HIV, since the epidemic started in the 1980s. Some 35 million have died.

As yet, there is no HIV vaccine or cure, and infected people rely on lifelong anti-retroviral therapy to stop the virus replicating.

Without treatment, HIV-infected people go on to develop AIDS, a syndrome that weakens the immune system and leaves the body exposed to opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, and some types of cancer.

Treatment carries side-effects and is costly, but allows infected people to be healthier for longer.

Police arrest Larkana suspected doctor for spread of HIV

Police arrested a doctor suspected to be responsible for the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Larkana’s Ratodero district, on Tuesday.

Dr Muzaffar Ghanghar, who is employed at a public hospital, is an HIV patient himself, police said, as they registered a case against the accused and produced him before a local court.

The number of HIV-positive cases rose to 39 as panic gripped the district and authorities tried to ascertain the causes behind the spread of the virus among the residents.

Twenty-two children are among the patients diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes the deadly AIDS disease which claimed a million lives worldwide in 2016.

Dr Sikander Memon, in-charge of the Aids Control Programme in Sindh, said a team will arrive in Ratodero next week to determine the causes behind the transmission of the HIV among the residents.

According to an estimate by Dr Memon, there are over 100,000 HIV-positive people in Sindh, however, the Aids Control Programme has only 10,350 registered patients who are provided treatment.

Larkana continues to top the list of districts most affected by HIV in Sindh, with the total number of AIDS patients in Larkana at more than 2,400.

In total, 76.1 million people worldwide have been infected with HIV, since the epidemic started in the 1980s. Some 35 million have died.

As yet, there is no HIV vaccine or cure, and infected people rely on lifelong anti-retroviral therapy to stop the virus replicating.

Without treatment, HIV-infected people go on to develop AIDS, a syndrome that weakens the immune system and leaves the body exposed to opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, and some types of cancer.

Treatment carries side-effects and is costly, but allows infected people to be healthier for longer.

PM Khan to lay foundation of Mohmand Dam on May 2

Prime Minister Imran Khan will perform the ground-breaking of Mohmand Dam on May 2, Senator Faisal Javed said on Tuesday.

The Senator made the announcement on Twitter, saying: “Prime Minister Imran Khan to perform the ground-breaking of Mohmand Dam on 2nd May 2019. Special thanks to all the donors who are contributing for this great cause.”

Prime Minister Imran Khan to perform the ground-breaking of Mohmand Dam on 2nd May 2019 insh'ALLAH #WaterForLife #Dams #PakistanZindabad Special thanks to all the Donars who are contributing for this great cause Masha'ALLAH #Prayers

— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) April 30, 2019

After its construction, Mohmand dam will be able to store 300,000 cusecs of water.

The dam has gross capacity of 1.9 million acre feet (MAF), live capacity 0.67 MAF with power generation potential of 800 megawatts (MW) and annual energy production of 2862 GWh.

The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in March awarded long delayed contract for civil and electro-mechanical works of Mohmand Dam Project to a joint venture comprising the China Gezhouba Group of Companies (CGGC) of China as the lead firm and Descon engineering company of Pakistan as its partner.

The final contract is worth Rs183.523 billion, saving Rs18 billion from the approved PC-I.

Mohmand Dam hydropower project is being constructed on River Swat in tribal district Mohmand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project is scheduled to be completed in five years and eight months.

NAB reserved verdict to close a corruption case against PML-Q leaders

An accountability court on Tuesday reserved a verdict on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to close a corruption case against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

According to details Accountability Judge Jawadul Hassan reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor.

The prosecutor contended before the court that the bureau’s chairman had given his approval to close an inquiry against the Chaudhry brothers over alleged illegal purchase of 28 plots in the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) city.

He said it transpired during investigation that it was the Chaudhry brothers’ employee who had purchased the plots and that no evidence was found to show their involvement in the scam.

He, therefore, pleaded with the judge to grant its plea to close the case against the PML-Q leaders.

Earlier, the corruption watchdog had clarified hat it shelved an inquiry against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in a Lahore Development Authority (LDA) case over lack of evidence.

“The decision to close the inquiry was taken during a meeting of the bureau’s executive board,” a spokesperson for the anti-graft watchdog said in a statement.

The bureau had initiated a probe against the Chaudhry brothers over purchase of 28 plots in LDA city.

Karachians Be aware, Karachi to face the brunt of hot weather

Pakistan Meteorological Department on Tuesday predicted that Karachi will face the brunt of hot weather from today as the maximum temperature in the city will remain between 39–41 Celsius.

The met office had earlier cautioned that a heat wave will grip the city from May 1st–3rd.

Heat Wave Early Warning Centre of the PMD had informed the city authorities and the public that during the three days’ span maximum temperature in day would range between 40-42 Celsius.

The low pressure in the Arabian Sea hampers routine sea breeze to the city during the heat wave and hot and dry winds could blow from north and northwest, the heat wave warning centre said.

The weather department has advised the citizens, civic authorities and all stakeholders to take precautionary measures.

The government of Sindh has announced measures to address the extreme weather condition including setting up heatstroke centres in the city at 115 points.

The health department has declared heat wave alert at 13 hospitals in Karachi and also cancelled leaves of the health staff.

Moreover, the water Sabeels being arranged at 185 points, while mobile relief teams will also present at 24 points in city to meet any emergency situation.

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation has issued a health advisory recently for safety of general public.

The health advisory issued by KMC’s Senior Director for Health Services Dr Birbal Genani asked people to drink more water in the current weather.

“Cover your head. Do not unnecessarily go out of your house between 11:00am and 3:00pm. Wear light dress,” said the health advisory.

In May last year, the spell of heatwave had left residents of Karachi utterly drained as the mercury touched 44 degree Celsius on the scale.

Democratic presidential candidate O'Rourke lays out $5 trillion climate plan

U.S. presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke on Monday laid out one of the most detailed climate policies so far in the crowded Democratic field, calling for a $5 trillion investment in clean energy technology and infrastructure over 10 years with a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

O’Rourke, the former Texas congressman, made climate change the focus of his first major policy announcement, unveiling the plan ahead of a campaign stop meeting with scientists at the iconic Yosemite National Park in California.

“The greatest threat we face — which will test our country, our democracy, every single one of us — is climate change,” O’Rourke said in a statement.

The plan lays out a series of executive actions that would reverse the “energy dominance” policies of President Donald Trump, who has been rolling back environmental regulation to increase domestic fossil fuels production.

O’Rourke’s measures include U.S. re-entry into the Paris Climate Agreement, ordering a reduction in methane emissions from oil and gas operations, halting new drilling leases on federal land and restoring pollution standards for power plants.

His plan also calls for raising taxes on the wealthy and on corporations to help fund some $5 trillion in projects to modernize infrastructure and clean energy technology over a decade.

The net-zero goal in O’Rourke’s and other climate plans means reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions 100 percent or offsetting them by as much as is emitted.

“The bill will be funded with the revenues generated by structural changes to the tax code that ensure corporations and the wealthiest among us pay their fair share and that we finally end the tens of billions of dollars of tax breaks currently given to fossil fuel companies,” O’Rourke’s legislative proposal states.

The plan appears to align with some of the principles of the Green New Deal, a bold set of policy goals introduced by congressional Democrats, that would transform the U.S. energy economy to 100 percent renewable sources by 2030, using federal funds to invest in modern infrastructure and green job programs.

Most of the Democratic presidential candidates, including Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, have embraced the Green New Deal, which has become a focus of attacks by the Republican party, which calls it unfeasible.

Other candidates have announced some specific policy measures related to climate change and the environment in recent weeks, and Warren has unveiled a public lands policy that would ban new drilling and mining leases on federal lands.

Environmental group the League of Conservation Voters on Monday praised O’Rourke’s plan, saying that it offered “the kind of leadership we need from the next president.”

Still, the upstart Sunrise Movement, the youth-led group that has pushed the Green New Deal into the spotlight, said O’Rourke’s plan fell short of what they said scientists said was necessary to fend off the worst impacts of climate change.

The Green New Deal calls for achieving net zero emissions within a decade, not by mid-century, as O’Rourke’s plan sets out.

“Beto claims to support the Green New Deal, but his plan is out of line with the timeline it lays out and the scale of action that scientists say is necessary to take here in the United States to give our generation a livable future,” said Sunrise founder Varshini Prakash.

Indian elections: No one voted in 60 villages of Occupied Kashmir

In Occupied Kashmir, during the fourth phase of sham Indian parliamentary elections not a single person voted in sixty villages of Anantnag, Islamabad constituency yesterday.

However, army soldiers, paramilitary forces and police personnel remained alert guarding polling stations.

'Pakistan making efforts for success of Afghan peace process': FM Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi says Pakistan is making sincere efforts for success of the Afghan peace process.

Addressing Seventh Round of Pakistan-Afghanistan Track-II Dialogue in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said he has visited different countries and also held several meetings with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad for peace in Afghanistan.

He said peace in Afghanistan is imperative for regional connectivity. He said Afghan people themselves have to decide their future.

Inviting Afghanistan to build a new future and make a new beginning, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan and Afghanistan have shared future.

He said Pakistan played its due role in development of Afghanistan, pledging projects worth one billion dollars.

The Minister said Afghanistan is a Pakistan's major trading partner, and the two countries do trade through rail and road.

He said Afghanistan's importance in regional connectivity cannot be ignored as completion of projects with Central Asian states such as TAPI and CASA-1000 is not possible without Afghanistan.

‘Call Sarzameen App’ launched to address issues of overseas Pakistanis

Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has launched a mobile phone application ‘Call Sarzameen App’ to swiftly address the issues facing Pakistani expatriates and their families.

The application was formally launched following the complete success of its pilot project.

The app’s web portal was introduced in November last year on trial basis which received around 531 complaints, out of which, 361 had been resolved while 96 were in process, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfikar Bukhari told state-run wire service.

He said the app was developed by the overseas ministry in collaboration with the National Information Technology Board (NITB) to introduce e-governance in his ministry and provide the Pakistani diaspora instant relief by solving their issues swiftly.

Bukhari said he would monitor the complaints himself, in addition to the Prime Minister Office, adding that “this is our valuable asset and we would work day and night for their betterment.”

“The developed countries have switched to paperless culture and we have to embrace the modern technologies to bring real change in the prevailing system,” he remarked.

He urged overseas Pakistanis to download the ‘Call Sarzameen’ and allow their country to serve them in a better and efficient way.

NAB approves reference against MQM-P leader Rauf Siddiqui on corruption charges

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approved a corruption reference against former Sindh minister Abdul Rauf Siddiqui over alleged misuse of authority and making illegal appointments.

The corruption watchdog’s executive board gave the go-ahead to the filing of a reference against Siddiqui upon completion of investigation against him.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) leader has been accused of making 372 illegal appointments and causing a loss of Rs420 million to the national kitty.

The bureau’s executive board also approved 12 corruption inquiries against a former president of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Saeed Ahmed and officials of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), Wapda, Port Qasim Authority, Sahiwal Coal Power Company.

Inquiries against officials of Punjab and Sindh police, University of Swabi, Civil Aviation Authority and Bacha Khan Airport, Peshawar were also approved.

Pakistan's 'Tyrion Lannister' longs to fight in battle of Winterfell

As the north prepared for the battle of Winterfell, people in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi were surprised to see Tyrion Lannister serving flatbread at a local restaurant.

Waiter Rozi Khan has taken social media in his homeland - where “Game of Thrones” has a strong following - by storm for his uncanny resemblance to U.S. actor Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister in the HBO fantasy series.

Until a few months ago, the 26-year-old had never heard of Dinklage. But his life changed when the son of the restaurant owner he works for spotted the resemblance and posted his picture on Facebook.

“In the beginning, they started calling me Peter Dinklage. After that I saw his show, and then slowly, slowly I became famous,” Khan told Reuters.

The resemblance goes beyond facial features: both men are also 4 feet 5 inches (135 cms) tall.

“My wish is to work in movies. And my other wish is that I should meet Peter Dinklage,” Khan added.

The eighth and final season of the wildly popular Game of Thrones concludes on May 19.

Nandipur case: AC defers its verdict on Babar Awan’s acquittal plea

An accountability court (AC) on Tuesday once again deferred the announcement of its reserved verdict on acquittal plea filed by former law minister Dr Babar Awan in Nandipur Power Project reference.

The court on Friday had reserved its verdict and was set to announce it today (April 30).

As soon as the hearing underwent today, the AC Judge, Arshad Malik said, the pleas of acquittal filed by other accused in the reference are also under the trial in the court.

“The court will announce its verdict after hearing all the pleas”, he remarked.

The court later adjourned the hearing into the case until May 6.

It may be recalled that the NAB court earlier, had reserved the verdict in the case twice but deferred the announcement of its reserved verdict on acquittal plea filed by former law minister Dr Babar Awan.

The Nandipur reference

The National Accountability Bureau in the reference, contended that the project had faced a delay of two years, one month and 15 days, resulting in a loss of Rs 27.3 billion to the national exchequer.

The power plant project, located in Gujranwala district of Punjab, could not be completed and operated on time because the accused failed to issue legal opinions.

U.S. film director John Singleton dead at age 51

John Singleton, who made his directorial debut with the acclaimed film “Boyz n the Hood” about young men struggling in a gang-ridden Los Angeles neighborhood, died on Monday at the age of 51, his family said, days after he suffered a stroke.

“We are sad to relay that John Singleton has died,” the family said in a statement. “John passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends.”

Earlier on Monday, the family said it had made the “agonizing decision” to withdraw life support from Singleton, who was being cared for at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles since having a stroke on April 17.

Singleton was a native of South Central Los Angeles, the community that was the setting for “Boyz n the Hood,” a drama about friendship amid the peril of gang violence.

He became the first African-American and the youngest person to be nominated for an Academy award for best director, at age 24, for the movie, which he also wrote.

Singleton later directed films such as action film “2 Fast 2 Furious” and historical drama “Rosewood.” He also directed episodes of TV shows including “Empire” and “Billions.”

Most recently, Singleton was the co-creator and executive producer of FX network TV series “Snowfall” about the start of the cocaine epidemic in Los Angeles.

His family said Singleton was “a prolific, ground-breaking director who changed the game and opened doors in Hollywood, a world that was just a few miles away, yet worlds away, from the neighborhood in which he grew up.”

He also “loved nothing more than giving opportunities to new talent” including Tupac Shakur, Regina King, Ice Cube and Taraji P. Henson, the family said.

Hollywood celebrities paid tribute to Singleton on Monday.

“John was a brave artist and a true inspiration. His vision changed everything,” filmmaker Jordan Peele wrote on Twitter.

Turkey interested in Russian weaponry other than S-400: Russia

The chief executive of Russia’s state-owned arms trade company Rosoboronexport says Turkey has expressed great interest in the acquisition of Russian military hardware other than advanced S-400 air defense missile systems.

Aleksandr Mikheev said on Monday that Turkish officials have voiced eagerness to purchase other Russian-built air defense systems of various ranges, anti-tank munitions as well as remote controlled weapon stations.

Mikheev further noted that Moscow and Ankara have already established several joint ventures aimed at developing new state-of-the-art fighter jets and helicopters, modules for armored vehicles and maintenance of weaponry previously sold to Turkey.

The Russian official went on to say that Russia and Turkey, thanks to the “constructive dialogue between their political leadership,” have managed to thwart foreign rivals' bids to meddle in their bilateral military cooperation.

On April 10, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is interested in expanding military and technical cooperation with other states, and is ready to consider signing new contracts on S-400 systems to Turkey.

His statement came after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu indicated Turkey could order more missile defense systems from Russia in case the United States refuses to supply Ankara with Patriot surface-to-air missile systems.

“If the US does not want to sell Patriot to us, tomorrow we may buy another S-400 system and we also can purchase other air defense systems,” Cavusoglu told Turkish-language NTV television news network in an exclusive interview.

The United States announced on April 1 that it would be suspending all “deliveries and activities” related to Turkey's procurement of F-35 stealth fighter jets over Ankara's plans to purchase the S-400.

Moscow and Ankara finalized an agreement on the delivery of the S-400 in December 2017.

Back in April 2018, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin said in Ankara that they had agreed to expedite the delivery of the S-400. At the time, it was said that the delivery could be made between late 2019 and early 2020.

A number of NATO member states have criticized Turkey for its planned purchase of the S-400, arguing the missile batteries are not compatible with those of the military alliance.

They also argue that the purchase could jeopardize Ankara's acquisition of F-35 fighter jets and possibly result in US sanctions.

The S-400 is an advanced Russian missile system designed to detect, track, and destroy planes, drones, or missiles as far as 402 kilometers away. It has previously been sold only to China and India.

Ankara is striving to boost its air defense, particularly after Washington decided in 2015 to withdraw its Patriot surface-to-air missile system from Turkish border with Syria, a move that weakened Turkey’s air defense.

Before gravitating towards Russia, the Turkish military reportedly walked out of a $3.4-billion contract for a similar Chinese system. The withdrawal took place under purported pressure from Washington.

Ankara’s ties with its Western allies in NATO have been strained over a range of issues.

Erdogan has been critical of Washington for supporting Kurdish groups in Syria that he says are responsible for terror attacks inside Turkey, among other issues.

The Turkish leader has also slammed US officials for rejecting his requests to hand over Fethullah Gulen, a powerful opposition figure living in the United States, whom Ankara accuses of having masterminded a coup attempt in July 2016.

Russia vows to expel terrorists out of Syria's Idlib

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the remnants of Daesh terrorists and al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra militants continue to stage provocations and are reluctant to abide by a ceasefire agreement in the northwestern province of Idlib.

Lavrov said during a press conference in Moscow on Monday that the terrorist outfits, especially militants from the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terror group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, are constantly breaching the de-escalation zone agreement by attacking civilians and carrying out provocations against the Syrian Arab Army in the troubled region.

The top Russian diplomat went on to say that the Syrian government had every right to protect people living in the country, including Idlib province, which is under the control of al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra.

“There’s a limit to everything. The situation in Idlib and other areas where terrorists are still active cannot go on like this forever. We will proceed from the fact that the Syrian government has every right to ensure the safety of its people on its territory,” Lavrov stressed, adding, “As Russian President Vladimir Putin has said, Russia cannot tolerate these terrorists remaining safe there like in a preserved area.”

Turkey and Russia brokered a deal in September 2018 to create a demilitarized zone in Idlib that would be evacuated of all heavy weapons and militants.

Iran, Russia, and Turkey, the three guarantor states of a ceasefire regime in Syria, have time and again expressed their determination to continue their fight against terrorism in the Arab country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has recently called for progress in stalled talks on a so-called buffer zone around Idlib province in a meeting with the Russian president’s special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev in Damascus.

The Syrian president also stressed his government’s determination to eliminate terrorist groups which are holed up in Idlib and attack civilians in neighboring areas.

President Assad called for the removal of any "obstacles" blocking the full implementation of the deal.

Elsewhere in the remarks, Lavrov expressed fear that the US forces, which are illegally stationed in Syria, could release all detained foreign terrorists. He said that such an act by the United States would be as “a terrible crime.”

The remarks come as several governments have been grappling with the problem of what to do with captured fighters from their country, the women who married them and their children.

A UN official has recently called on countries to take responsibility for their nationals, including thousands of children of Daesh fighters, who are stuck at a camp controlled by US-backed militants in northeast Syria.

Promotion of economic and business relations between Pakistan and US

US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells has said that the United States would support the policies aimed at bringing economic stability in Pakistan.

She was talking to Adviser to PM on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh along with a delegation.

Matters pertaining to promotion of economic and business relations between the two countries were discussed in the meeting.

The Adviser informed the delegation that Pakistan values its ties with US and both countries need to work to create an environment to move forward for the mutual benefits.

He referred to the sacrifices rendered by the people and Armed Forces of Pakistan while fighting the war on terror.

The Ambassador Wells lauded Pakistan’s efforts for promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Fakhar hits century as Pakistan beat Northamptonshire in second tour match

Pakistan recorded their second win in England as they beat Northamptonshire by eight wickets on Monday.

The Green Shirts chased down 274 with eight wickets and nine overs to spare, thanks to a brilliant century by Fakhar Zaman and fifties from Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam.

Zaman scored 101 off 81 balls with 15 fours and a six, while Imam contributed with 71 off 79 balls with five fours and two sixes. Azam hit an unbeaten 68 from 53 balls with five fours and three sixes.

Pakistan kicked off their tour of England with a 100-run win over Kent on Saturday.

Imad Wasim hit an unbeaten century, while Zaman made 76 and Haris Sohail 75.

Pakistan continue their tour with another tour match against Leicestershire on Wednesday.

They then play England in a one-off T20 international in Cardiff on Sunday, before facing the hosts of the 50-over World Cup — which starts next month — in the first of five one-day internationals at The Oval on May 8.

Shoaib Malik heads back home to deal with a 'personal issue'

All-rounder Shoaib Malik is returning home to deal with a personal issue and is expected to rejoin the team in England later.

“The Pakistan cricket team management has given leave to Shoaib Malik so that he can return home to deal with a personal issue. He is expected to rejoin the team in 10 days’ time,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement on Monday.

“The PCB will not be making any further comments and fully expects all concerned to respect Shoaib’s privacy,” the statement added.

Govt fulfilled demand of opposition, appointed Shahbaz as PAC Chairman: Dr Firdous

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to China would prove to be a game changer for the country.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the prime minister is striving to improve the lives of poor masses and taking prudent measures to bring the economy of the country on track.

She in a statement asserted the government does not want any clash with the opposition and asked opposition politicians to come to the Parliament with useful suggestions and recommendations, stressing that it was the best forum to resolve issues.

Firdous said the government has fulfilled the demand of the opposition and appointed Shahbaz Sharif as Chairman Public Account Committee (PAC), adding now it is his responsibility to come to the parliament and play his role.

She has urged opposition parties to play a constructive role towards development of the country and avoid the politics of agitation.

Earlier addressing a gathering in Sialkot, the PM’s aide had said, “The coming days will bring change in the lives of the people. The government is making sincere efforts for steering the country out of crises and people would observe a visible change in near future.”

She said that democratic process was the only way out to get rid of social, political and economic complications.