Govt celebrates new year with Rs 04 hike in petrol price

Government of Pakistan (GOP) on Friday announced to hike petrol prices by Rs4 on the eve of New Year 2022. According to the Finance Ministry, the petrol will be sold at a price of Rs144.82 per litre.On the other hand, the price of diesel has also been raised by Rs4 after which it will be sold at the rate of Rs141.62 per litre.

As per the issued notification the price of High Speed Diesel was raised by Rs4 and will now be sold at Rs141.62 per litre while the rate of light diesel oil will go up to Rs111.06 per litre from Rs107.06 per litre. Similarly, the price of kerosene will go up from Rs109.53 to Rs113.53 per litre.

The rate of light diesel oil will go up to Rs111.06 per litre from Rs107.06 per litre. Similarly, the price of kerosene will go up from Rs109.53 to Rs113.53 per litre.

As per the notification the hike will be observed from January 1. According to details, PM has given a maximum relief on the levied priced of IMF while the increase of the prices was suggested by OGRA.

Earlier today, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had said that after the launch of health card, the government had given a new year gift to the people by reducing the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by up to Rs6 per kg.
In a tweet, he said this would directly benefit 72 per cent of the country’s population who were deprived of piped gas.

In 2022, the minister said, a sharp decline in energy and food prices was expected.

Pakistan Reports 06 More Corona Deaths in last 24 hours

Pakistan has reported 6 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 1,295,933. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 28,933 on Saturday.

According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 556 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Province-wise Details

Punjab remains the worst-hit province in terms of deaths followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Till now 13,070 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab, 7,670 in Sindh 5,930 in KP, 967 in Islamabad, 746 in Azad Kashmir, 364 in Balochistan, and 186 in GB.

Furthermore 482,029 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 445,107 in Punjab 181,402 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 108,666 in Islamabad, 34,662 in Azad Kashmir 33,638 in Balochistan and 10,429 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Tests and Recoveries

Pakistan has so far conducted 23,423,546 coronavirus tests and 51,141 in the last 24 hours. 1,256,816 patients have recovered in the country whereas 629 patients are in critical condition.

Positivity Ratio

The COVID-19 positivity ratio was recorded at 1.08 percent.

Vaccine Statistics

So far, 96,980,678 people have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine including 927,315 in last 24 hours. 70,576,467 citizens have been fully vaccinated while 1,046,013 received their second dose in last 24 hours.

The number of total administered doses has reached to 156,623,021 with 1,599,380 in the last 24 hours

Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi among nominees for ICC Men's Player of the Year award

Ace batsman-wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi have been included among four nominees for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for International Cricket Council's (ICC) Men's Player of the Year, the world cricket body announced on Friday.

The other two nominees are England captain Joe Root and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, the ICC said in a statement.

Shaheen — the man on fire

Elaborating on the achievements of the players, the ICC noted that Shaheen took 78 wickets in 36 international matches this year at an average of 22.20 runs. He also delivered his career-best figures in an innings this year in August against the West Indies, grabbing six wickets for 51 runs.

"The tall Pakistani pacer was on fire throughout 2021, knocking some of the best batters over across all three formats of the game. He especially had a year to remember in Tests and T20Is, reaching his absolute peak during the T20 World Cup in UAE where he impressed one and all with his sheer speed and skills," the statement said.

"He ruled the shortest format throughout the calendar year, scalping 23 wickets in 21 matches with his death bowling improving by leaps and bounds," it added.

The statement made special mention of Shaheen's performance against India in the T20 World Cup where it was the pacer's double-wicket salvo up top that put India on the backfoot early and set the tone for the entire match.

It also recalled Indian captain Virat Kohli's post-match statement in which he had heaped praise on Shaheen, saying: "He put our batsmen under pressure immediately with the new ball, and he ran in with intensity and showed that he's bowling in consistent areas, so as batsmen you are forced to be a bit watchful.

"That spell kind of put us on the back foot immediately, and from there on to get those extra 20, 25 runs, in the end, seemed pretty difficult when you lose three wickets for 20 runs."

Rizwan the dependable

Ever-reliable batsman for Pakistan, Rizwan accrued 1,915 runs in 44 international matches this year at an average of 56.32 and racked up 56 dismissals behind the stumps.

"The Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter ruled the roost in 2021 when it came to the shortest format of the game. Aggregating a staggering 1,326 runs in only 29 matches, Rizwan struck at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89. Apart from his exploits with the bat, he was as solid as ever behind the stumps," the statement said.

Praising Rizwan's consistency, the ICC statement noted that he had also improved his Test performances this year, gathering 455 runs in nine matches at an average of 45.50.

According to the ICC's statement, Rizwan's most memorable performance also came during Pakistan's match against India, with the batsman hitting 79 on only 55 deliveries, including six fours and three sixes.

"He ensured that there were no hiccups in the run-chase as Pakistan galloped towards the target without losing a single wicket to seal a 10-wicket victory. Rizwan would continue this form throughout the remainder of the tournament, scoring 281 runs and ending as the third-highest run-scorer," it added.

The ICC also recalled Rizwan's performance in Pakistan's semi-final against Australia in which he top-scored for the Green Shirts with 67 from 52 balls. During his innings, Rizwan had become the first player to score 1,000 runs in T20 internationals in a calendar year.

Officials had revealed after the match that Rizwan was in hospital with a severe chest infection before taking the field in the semi-final.

Saying Rizwan has a "character of steel", the statement recalled coach Matthew Hayden's post-match talk in which he said, "[Rizwan] is a warrior. He has been brilliant through it (the campaign) and he's got great courage."

A day earlier, the ICC announced the nominees for the ODI Player of the Year award, with Pakistan skipper Babar Azam one of four contenders for the accolade.

According to the ICC, its Voting Academy which comprises global cricket journalists and broadcasters will vote for their first, second and third choices. The world cricket body will also take fans' votes into consideration. The winner will be decided by combining the results of the Voting Academy and fans' votes.

Ex-Afghan president says decision to flee Kabul made in 'minutes'

Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani on Thursday described fleeing the Taliban's victory march on Kabul, saying the decision had been taken in "minutes" and that he did not know he was leaving the country until he was taking off.

Ghani told BBC's Radio 4 "Today" programme that on the morning of August 15, 2021, the day the Islamists took control of the capital and his own government fell apart, he had "no inkling" that it would be his last day in Afghanistan.

But by that afternoon security at the presidential palace had "collapsed," he said.

"If I take a stand they will all be killed, and they were not capable of defending me," Ghani said in the interview, conducted by former UK chief of defence staff, General Nick Carter.

His national security adviser, Hamdullah Mohib, was "literally terrified," Ghani said. "He did not give me more than two minutes."

He said his instructions had originally been to fly by helicopter to southeastern Khost city.

But Khost had fallen in the Islamists' lightning offensive which saw provincial capitals topple around the country in the days ahead of the withdrawal of international forces, set for the end of August.

The eastern city of Jalalabad, on the border with Pakistan, had also fallen, he said.

"I did not know where we will go," Ghani said.

"Only when we took off did it become clear that we were leaving."

Ghani has been in the United Arab Emirates ever since.

He has been highly criticised in Afghanistan for leaving, with Afghans now trapped under the Taliban's harsh rule accusing him of abandoning them -- and of taking millions of dollars in cash, a claim he "categorically" denied again on Thursday.

The former World Bank official has released several previous statements on his departure, admitting that he owed the Afghan people an explanation. Thursday was his first interview.

He said again that his first concern had been to prevent brutal street fighting in the capital, already packed with tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence elsewhere in the country.

And he said his decision to leave was "the hardest thing".

"I had to sacrifice myself in order to save Kabul and to expose the situation for what it is: a violent coup, not a political agreement."

But even if he'd stayed, he said, he could not have changed the outcome, which has seen the Taliban establish their new regime as the country faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in history.

"Unfortunately I was painted in total black," he said. "It became an American issue. Not an Afghan issue."

"My life work has been destroyed, my values have been trampled on and I've been made a scapegoat," he said.

Afghans had "rightly" blamed him, he said. "I completely understand that anger, because I share that anger."

 

PML-N MPA Bilal Yaseen shot, injured in Lahore

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Bilal Yaseen was shot and injured by unidentified assailants in Lahore on Friday, police said.

According to police officials, the armed men on two motorcycles opened fire on the PML-N MPA after he visited a party worker in Data Darbar area of the city.

The MPA suffered two bullet injuries in his leg and stomach, a police official said, adding that he was rushed to the Lahore Mayo Hospital, where is he is undergoing treatment.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has taken notice of the incident and directed police officials to submit the report at the earliest.

Britain approves Pfizer's antiviral Covid-19 pill

Britain has approved Pfizer's (PFE.N) Covid-19 pill for adults who have mild to moderate infection and are at high risk of their illness worsening, its second easily administered antiviral against the coronavirus.

Britain is scrambling to build its defences amid a record surge in Covid-19 cases in the winter season as the Omicron variant of the virus spreads quickly.

Based on data, the pill, Paxlovid, is most effective when taken during the early stages of Covid-19, Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said on Friday, recommending it be used within five days of the first symptoms.

Pfizer this month said Paxlovid showed near 90% efficacy in preventing hospitalisations and deaths in high-risk patients, and recent lab data suggests the drug retains its effectiveness against the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The MHRA said it is working with Pfizer, which makes one of the leading Covid-19 vaccines with German partner BioNTech (22UAy.DE), to track Paxlovid's effectiveness against Omicron.

"We now have a further antiviral medicine for the treatment of Covid-19 that can be taken by mouth rather than administered intravenously. This means it can be administered outside a hospital setting," MHRA chief June Raine said in a statement.

Paxlovid is made of two active substances which come as two separate pills taken twice a day together for five days. Britain has secured more than 2.75 million courses of the antiviral treatment.

The Pfizer tablets are part of a class of drugs called protease inhibitors currently used to treat HIV, hepatitis C and other viruses, which work by stopping the virus from replicating.

Rival Merck's (MRK.N) Covid-19 pill was approved by Britain last month, but that drug only reduced hospitalisations and deaths in its clinical trial of high-risk patients by around 30%.

Saudi Arabia boosts pandemic measures at Grand Mosque

Saudi Arabia reimposed social distancing measures at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, after recording the highest number of infections in months.

Workers have returned floor markings removed on October 17 to guide people to social distance in and around the Grand Mosque.

Saudi authorities said they will reimpose “social distancing requirements between worshippers and pilgrims” at the Grand Mosque, without specifying whether a capacity has been set.

Earlier, the government had said social distancing and masks were again required in both indoor and outdoor venues.

The country of approximately 34 million people has so far recorded more than 554,000 coronavirus cases, including 8,874 deaths, the highest number of fatalities among the Gulf Arab countries.

On Wednesday, Saudi recorded 744 cases, the highest number since mid-August.

The Covid-19 pandemic hugely disrupted Muslim pilgrimages, which are usually key revenue earners for the kingdom, bringing in some $12 billion annually.

The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — have been recording their highest numbers of new cases in months.

Despite having the world’s highest vaccination rate, the UAE has recorded the largest number of infections among Gulf countries at more than 757,000.

On Wednesday, it recorded 2,234 infections, the highest number since June.

The Emirates’ Abu Dhabi crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, sought to reassure the people that “the UAE health sector is fully geared and prepared to address any challenges”, according to the official WAM news agency.

The UAE is gearing up to host New Year’s Eve celebrations, including at Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, in the emirate of Dubai.

Dubai, which is heavily dependent on tourism, was one of the world’s first destinations to welcome back visitors in July 2020.

It is also counting on the six-month Expo 2020 trade fair to boost its economy.

Pakistan's economic position will be 'far better' by August: Fawad

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Friday insisted that Pakistan was heading in the "right direction" and that the country's economy will be "far better" by August 2022.

Speaking to reporters in Lahore, Chaudhry said a phase was being commenced in Pakistan in which the social protection programmes will take effect, paving the way for improvement of the overall economic situation of the country.

He informed that the PTI-led government had to return $55 billion in its next two years in debt payment, adding that a sum of $32bn had already been paid under debts in the last three years.

"We are paying the price for the legacy left by Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif," the minister said, in reference to the last two governments of the PPP and PML-N.

Dispelling the impression given by the opposition about the country failing at the economic front, Chaudhry said Shehbaz Sharif and other opposition leaders should not worry about the country as "it is heading in the right direction, and people are witnessing it".

'Our politics, defence and economy are all stable'
The minister stressed that Pakistan's politics, defence and economy were all quite stable.

He said the national economy was growing at five per cent and it will further stabilise in time to come.

"Also, take an example of the coronavirus pandemic as such calamities occur once in 100 years and Pakistan's strategy to tackle it is being praised worldwide," he added.

Chaudhry, while continuing with his criticism of rival parties, said the opposition leaders were all panicked after the government expressed its intent to bring Nawaz Sharif back to Pakistan.

"We want the Lahore High Court to move on his case and Nawaz should be brought back at the earliest," he said.

He added that the government also wanted that cases involving Shehbaz Sharif should be taken up on a day-to-day basis.

The minister stonewalled a query when asked about the political implications of the "most important" appointment the prime minister was set to make in 2022 and wrapped his answer by succinctly saying "for God's sake".

The minister, while highlighting the importance of the film and drama industry, rued that the country had not been able to utilise the potential of the vital industry for its image-building.

"Our stories have to be told through films and the way we ended our film industry was really unfortunate. We will now revive the medium to tell the story of Pakistan to the world."

Chaudhry said he was pleased that the dollar depreciated against the rupee after the introduction of the Finance (Supplementary) Bill 2021 in the National Assembly on Thursday.

"This inflation cycle will break in three to four months, while the prices of vegetables will also decline in a couple of months," he added.

The information minister said Pakistan would have gone bankrupt had Imran not been the prime minister of the country.

"If Pakistan is floating today, it's because of Imran Khan and the PTI's economic team," claimed the minister.

He said the system through which Pakistan had been governed for the past several years was no more in practice. "Now, for the first time, a people-centric government is working in Pakistan".

PM Imran Khan launches Naya Pakistan Sehat Card

Prime Minister Imran Khan has launched the Naya Pakistan Sehat Card for all citizens, stating that each family would be eligible for medical treatment up to one million rupees per year under the universal health coverage programme.

The premier stated that not everyone can take such revolutionary decisions as the PTI did, citing the example of the health card as one.

"Today, every family in Punjab will be eligible for a health card," he said, adding that a welfare state is one where all citizens have equal opportunity for growth and prosperity.

He said it was in the State of Madina that for the first time in history, the state accepted responsibility for society's underprivileged segment.

The PM stated that while the welfare state model can be seen in contemporary Europe, it is not seen in Muslim countries.

In a dig at the PML-N's mantra of transforming Pakistan into an Asian Tiger, the premier stated, "Asian Tiger is nothing in comparison to the State of Madinah; we are attempting to put Pakistan on a path of prosperity."

He stated that now that the government will not spend money on building hospitals because private individuals will build them instead.

"We want to ensure that everyone in rural areas has access to health care, and by March 2022, all families in Punjab will have health cards."

During his day-long visit to the provincial capital, the prime minister will also chair different meetings on administrative and political affairs, law and order, and development projects.

4 soldiers embrace martyrdom in Mir Ali operation: ISPR

Four Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) Friday in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, confirmed the ISPR.

One terrorist was apprehended along with weapons and ammunition," said the ISPR, adding that the four soldiers were martyred during an "intense exchange of fire."

The names of the martyred soldiers are:

Havaldar Munawar, 40, resident of Bahawalnagar, Sepoy Zaka Ullah, 31, resident of Laki Marwat, Sepoy Farhan, 34, resident of Kohat and Sepoy Sheraz, 30, resident of Abbottabad.

In another IBO, two militants were gunned down by security forces while weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the militants.

The two terrorists killed during the IBO have been identified as Shahzeb alias Zakir and Daniyal. "These terrorists were involved in terrorist activities against security forces, target killing and kidnapping for ransom," it added.

China's Huawei says 2021 revenues down almost 30%, sees challenges ahead

Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd (HWT.UL), battered by U.S. sanctions, expects 2021 revenue to have declined nearly 30% and predicted continued challenges in the New Year. Revenue for the year is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99.48 billion), rotating chairman Guo Ping said in a New Year letter to employees on Friday.

That represents a fall of 28.9% from 2020 revenues of 891.4 billion yuan. Guo said next year "will come with its fair share of challenges" but that he was satisfied with Huawei's 2021 business performance.

"An unpredictable business environment, the politicisation of technology, and a growing deglobalisation movement all present serious challenges," the letter, published on the company's website, read.

In 2019, the U.S. Trump administration imposed a trade ban on Huawei, citing national security, which barred the company from using Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Android for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-origin technology.

The U.S. sanctions, together with weaker domestic consumption due to the coronavirus, weighed on Huawei. "We need to stick to our strategy and respond rationally to external forces that are beyond our control," Guo said.

Huawei will continue focusing on information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, the letter said. Third-quarter revenue fell 38% compared with a year earlier, Huawei's latest earnings report shows.

Coronavirus: Pakistan records 515 fresh corona cases in a day

Pakistan has reported 6 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of confirmed positive cases has surged to 1,295,376. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 28,927 on Friday.

According to the latest figures issued by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), 515 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
481,689 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 444,977 in Punjab, 181,370 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 108,618 in Islamabad, 34,660 in Azad Kashmir, 33,633 in Balochistan and 10,429 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

 

Criticism regarding inflation due to additional taxes is 'baseless': Tarin

Criticism regarding the government imposing additional burden on the people and of a consequent rise in inflation is “baseless,” Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin said on Thursday.

Addressing a joint press conference, flanked by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, Tarin said that tax revision worth Rs343 billion has been revised in the bill.

Sharing details of the supplementary finance bill, which was unveiled by the minister in the National Assembly before the press conference, he said that a Rs70 billion rebate included taxes on luxury and business items including imported fish, high-end bakery items, expensive cheese and imported bicycles.

Tax exemptions worth Rs2 billion will be removed from items of general use like personal computers, sewing machines, matchboxes, iodised salt, red chillies, and contraceptives.

“If we expect inflation to increase because of the imposition of tax on these items then they [the Opposition] are mistaken,” he said, adding that this is the “crux of the supplementary finance bill.”

“The Opposition has been spreading rumours regarding an increase in inflation because of the finance bill,” the finance minister said.

Tarin said that no sales tax will be imposed on fertiliser, imported second-hand clothes and cinema equipment.

“The agreement with the IMF is not just a matter of $1 billion,” Tarin said.

The finance minister went on to say that PTI’s manifesto says that institutions should be given autonomy, as “they cannot be strong until they are given autonomy”.

Speaking about the State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2021, he said that the previous regimes kept "interfering" in the matters of the central bank.

“The Board of Governors (BoG) of SBP will be appointed on the recommendations of the government,” he said, adding that it was earlier thought the BoG will be appointed by the bank itself.

Tarin clarified, however, that it was made clear to them that this wouldn't be possible. "How can they make their own appointments?" he remarked.

“No amendment has been made in the bill regarding the appointment of SBP's board of directors,” he added.

Tarin underlined that central banks of all developed countries have autonomy.

Shedding light on the conditions of the IMF, Tarin said that the Fund wants them to impose sales tax "on all items".

He, however, reiterated the government’s revision will only mean an imposition of taxes worth Rs2 billion.

“We are increasing taxes on luxury cars," he said, adding that the Fund has not imposed any conditions regarding increasing taxes on vehicles.

Speaking about inflation, he said that the Pakistan’s inflation based on consumer price index (CPI) clocked in at 11.5% in November 2021.

“Inflation in the US and UK also surged to record highs, so if I have failed have Joe Biden and Boris Johnson also failed?” he asked.

The minister also asked that if prices of edible oil in the international market are increasing he should stop importing the essential commodity, or if the price of coal is rising the government should stop importing that as well.

Tarin assured the media that prices of medicines will go down.

Shedding light on future plans, he said that the government is working on "documents that will be historic".

Blast at Quetta's Jinnah Road kills four, injures 14: police

Four people have died while 14 others sustained injuries after an explosion occurred at Quetta's Jinnah Road.

According to the police, the explosion took place near a vehicle near the Science College at Jinnah Road.

Witnesses told the police that glass windows of buildings situated in the vicinity of the blast were shattered.

Police said that the nature of the explosion is still being investigated, while security forces and rescue officials have reached the site of the explosion.

The injured have been shifted to the city's Civil Hospital, the police added. Three people who sustained injuries are reported to be in critical condition.

Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has condemned the incident and has instructed the inspector-general of police to submit a report related to the blast.

At the same time, the provincial adviser to the chief minister on the interior has been directed to further improve the security situation of the city.

Adviser to the Chief Minister on Interior Raza Langoo said that the blast occurred through a remote-controlled device, while a probe is being carried out.

"Terrorists aim to target civilians," he said.

Babar Azam nominated for 2021 ICC Men's ODI Player of the Year award

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday unveiled nominations for its ODI Player of the Year award, with Pakistan skipper Babar Azam one of four contenders for the accolade.

The national skipper scored 405 runs in six matches in the outgoing year at an average of 67.50 with two centuries in the 50-over format.

Alongside Azam, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, Ireland's Paul Stirling and South Africa's Janneman Malan have been named as contenders for the award.

Last year, India's Virat Kohli had bagged the ODI Player of the Decade for his standout performances in the previous 10 years.

Describing Azam as the "top-ranked batter", the ICC said the Pakistan skipper played only six ODIs in 2021, "but he made vital contributions" in both the series his team played this year".

With the nomination, the ICC also posted a video recap of Azam's feats in 2021 and titled it "Babar Azam: pride of Pakistan"

The global cricket body said Azam was the second-highest run-scorer with 228 runs and was the player of the match in both of Pakistan's wins in the 2-1 series victory against South Africa in April 2021.

"He was the architect of Pakistan's chase of 274 in the first ODI with a century and laid the foundation with an 82-ball 94 in the final ODI where the visitors posted 320 batting first.

According to ICC, Azam's best performance in 2021 came in the third match of the three-match ODI series against England in July, with the previous two games already triumphed by the English side.

In the July 13th game, Pakistan, while batting first, had posted 331 with Azam scoring close to 50 per cent of the team's runs.

With the milestone out of the way, Azam exploded in the death overs and almost batted through the innings, getting out in the last over for 158, his highest-ever ODI score, said the ICC.

The game had ended with James Vince and Lewis Gregory stealing the show with a stunning 129-run stand for the sixth wicket as England chased down the total down with two overs to spare.

Govt unveils supplementary finance bill in line with IMF's demands

Federal Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin presents the much-awaited supplementary finance bill — termed by the Opposition as a "mini-budget" — in the National Assembly, as a pre-requisite to resume the $6 billion External Fund Facility (EFF) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The opposition staged a vehement protest and chanted slogans to prevent Shaukat Tarin from introducing the Finance Bill 2021 and SBP Amendment Bill in the House.

According to the finance ministry's proposal, the government will impose a tax on approximately 150 goods at a rate of 17%. Therefore, goods that were currently either completely exempt from General Sales Tax (GST) or being taxed at 5% to 12% rates would now be taxed at 17%.

The income tax rate on mobile phone calls is expected to increase from 10% to 15%.

Meanwhile, the GST rate on cars above 850cc will go up to 17% and the tax on the import of electric vehicles in CBU conditions will increase from 5% to 17%. Business to business transactions will go up from 16.9% to 17%.

Zero-rating available on supplies of raw materials for imported milk would be withdrawn and be taxed at 17%.

The supplies to duty-free shops will be taxed at 17%. As they will be taxed for the first time, there are no revenue estimates.

The finance bill also proposes that bread prepared in bakeries, restaurants, food chains and shops be taxed at a 17% rate.

The bill increases the tax collection target from Rs5,829 billion to Rs6,100 billion for the remaining financial year. The government has also reduced the development programmes by Rs200 billion.

The "mini-budget" was one of the conditions of the IMF which was to be met before January 12, 2022, in order to recover more than $1 billion in instalments from the Fund.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had summoned a federal cabinet meeting to approve the Finance Bill, which was later to be presented in the National Assembly.

Coronavirus pandemic affected the educational activities the most IN 2021

The year 2021 cannot be considered a good educational year as the coronavirus pandemic affected the educational activities the most.

The year 2021 passed under the coronavirus regime which affected all the aspects of life including education. There was either 50% attendance or the educational institutions were closed overall. Education minister Sindh, Sardar Shah said that the education sector has been adversely affected; online classes can not compare physical classes.

The continuous rise in coronavirus cases by each passing day was the reason that metric and intermediate students could give only optional exams. Metric exams were conducted on the 5th of July whereas intermediate exams were delayed by 26th of July. This caused the results to be announced late eventually causing the new educational year to be started by a delay.

The educational minister stood firm on the stance that they will try their best to continue the educational year 2022 without any issues.

Pakistan reports 3 more corona deaths in 24 hours

Pakistan has reported 3 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 1,294,861. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 28,921 on Thursday. According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 482 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 13,066 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab, 7,666 in Sindh 5,927 in KP, 967 in Islamabad, 746 in Azad Kashmir, 363 in Balochistan, and 186 in GB.

Furthermore 481,381 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 444,862 in Punjab 181,334 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 108,565 in Islamabad, 34,660 in Azad Kashmir 33,630 in Balochistan and 10,429 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Pakistan has so far conducted 23,324,549 coronavirus tests and 50,662 in the last 24 hours. 1,255,931 patients have recovered in the country whereas 639 patients are in critical condition.

The COVID-19 positivity ratio was recorded at 0.95 percent.

So far, 95,159,489 people have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine including 897,864 in last 24 hours. 68,508,472 citizens have been fully vaccinated while 1,002,233 received their second dose in last 24 hours.

The number of total administered doses has reached to 153,477,237 with 1,526,150 in the last 24 hours.

Opposition lambasts govt over plan to table mini-budget in National Assembly

The opposition on Wednesday took the government to task over its plan to table the supplementary finance bill [mini-budget] in the National Assembly.

A day earlier, the federal cabinet had deferred the approval of the supplementary finance bill which was scheduled to be tabled in today's session.

Speaking on a point of order, PPP MNA Raja Pervez Ashraf said that everyone in the House as well as people from different walks of life were concerned over reports that the government was planning to introduce a money bill or a mini-budget.

"Inflation, unemployment and the shortage of gas and other commodities have already wreaked havoc on the people of the country. Now, if a mini-budget or money bill is in the offing, which would increase their difficulties, then everyone sitting in the House should resist the move," he said.

Taking the floor, PML-N's Khawaja Asif said that the country saw a "territorial surrender" on Dec 16, 1971 which it eventually recovered from.

"The country has come out of that disaster. [But] now we are going to surrender our economic sovereignty through the finance bill and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Amendment Bill 2021 which is much worse than what happened in 1971."

The PML-N leader claimed that the state bank had become a "local branch" of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said that the SBP governor was disguised as a "viceroy", adding that Pakistan had become a "financial colony" of international institutions.

He vowed to oppose the SBP bill and the mini-budget, adding that there was a need to create a national consensus on both the issues. "Create national consensus on how we can get out of these issues. Things can't go on like this."

He said that today was the fourth day that the government was unable to complete quorum and claimed that it would again obtain votes through facilitators. He called on lawmakers to not surrender the country's economic sovereignty.

Concluding his speech, Asif said that the country's nuclear assets would be the next target. "After this, we will be stripped of our nuclear capabilities."

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, who chaired today's session, told the lawmakers that so far, no such bill had been presented in the house. "You can debate on the bill when it is presented," he said.

When the deputy speaker gave the floor to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the opposition members pointed out the quorum and staged a walkout.

Suri then ordered a head count and declared that the quorum was complete. He gave the floor to the foreign minister for a second time, while members of the opposition returned to the house to participate in the proceedings.

During his speech, Qureshi assured the lawmakers that the government would protect the country's economic sovereignty.

He said that protecting the country's economic independence was the joint responsibility of the government and the parliament. However, the country's macro-economic indicators did not become alarming during the last three years, he said.

Commenting on the point raised by Asif about the country's nuclear assets, Qureshi said: "I want to say this on the floor of the house that there is, was and will remain a national consensus on credible minimum deterrence."

Talking about quorum, he accepted that it was the government's responsibility to fulfil it. He also urged the opposition to ensure the smooth functioning of the National Assembly, stating that pointing out quorum again and again was not in their benefit.

Nawaz Sharif won't return, govt will bring him back: Fawad

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Tuesday said that the government will bring PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif back after the finalisation of an agreement with the UK government, as he ruled out the possibility of Nawaz's voluntary return to the country, The News reported Wednesday.

"We will bring back the PML-N leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif because he himself will never return,” Fawad said during a media briefing on the federal cabinet meeting held Tuesday which was presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier in the day.

The minister told the media that matters regarding Nawaz's return had been settled with Britain to "a great extent".

“We have been addressing the legal lacunas relating to the matter for the last two years. Rest assured, he will not return, but we will bring him back,” Fawad said emphatically.

About PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq's claim about Nawaz Sharif's return, he said that his statement caused a setback to Jati Umra [the residence of the Sharif family], wondering what he was talking about.

Fawad said the cabinet meeting approved formation of a joint investigation committee (JIT) to probe the murder of Nazim Jokhio.

He said the cabinet approved the National Security Policy (NSP) and the policy documents would be made public in 10 days. He pointed out that the economic strategy had also been included in the national security policy and that security could not be guaranteed if your economy was not strong.

The minister said that an important point of the policy was that if the common man was not protected, or he was not satisfied with his economic, social and legal status, then no policy would be successful; therefore it is economy-centric. He contended that the policy was started in 2014 and it was approved in 2021. In the past, the policy was not approved because there was no consensus.

He said that for the first time a government was in place which was capable of soliciting the views of all, and Imran Khan is a prime minister who is trusted by all.

The minister said that the policy also included the policies of internal security, food security and other ministries.

Fawad censures Fazl to give dates to topple PTI govt

He came down hard on the opposition and said Maulana Fazlur Rehman had been giving dates for three years against the government and recalled when the PTI came to power, the Maulana came to Islamabad in the first year of government with ‘leftovers’.

The minister said he thought he would overthrow the government, but had been giving a new date every three months; the media should bring out his statements of three years. He emphasised that the opposition was not capable of toppling the government, as it required leadership which they did not have.

“They are only issuing statements to appease their workers. Everybody knows that Imran Khan gave them [the] toughest time while in [the] Opposition,” he noted.

Fawad continued that there were daily-wage politicians in the Opposition and they earn their wages. He pointed out that after Rana Shamim's affidavit, it became clear how big a Sicilian mafia Nawaz Sharif & Company is.

“They want to get the cases decided in their favour by putting pressure on courts,” he added.

Regarding reports of a ‘mini budget’, the minister emphasised that it was not a mini budget but the government was making some financial adjustments.

“We have to go to IMF after what Nawaz Sharif and Zardari have done to Pakistan,” he added.

He advised the opposition to come up with an alternative to the “mini-budget” instead of merely issuing statements. He added that a bill in that regard would be passed in the current session and it had been initially discussed in the cabinet meeting.

There are reports the cabinet will meet again on Wednesday to further deliberate on the proposed ‘mini-budget’ and accord approval to it before being taken up in Parliament for consideration and adoption.

The minister said the cabinet meeting was briefed on urea production; agriculture has improved in the last two years, wheat, rice and sugarcane production has become historic, due to which purchase of vehicles, medicines and other items have increased.

He said that now there is a crisis of shortage of fertilizers, the price of fertilizers in the world market has increased by 12%, gas was supplied for urea production in Pakistan even in these two months when gas is not supplied to the urea plant.

Fawad claimed that Pakistan had the highest production of urea this year: At a time when the price of urea in the world market is more than 10,000, the price of urea in Pakistan is between Rs1,700 to 1,800. He added that urea was in short supply in many places due to hoarding and smuggling.

The cabinet, he noted, asked the Punjab government to stop stockpiling of urea, which would not reduce the price but would end the shortage.

The minister said that the appointment of Board of Directors of House Building Finance Company Limited has been approved on the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will include Shehzad Naqvi, Faiza Kapadia, Yasmeen Lari, Adnan Ali and Imran Ahad.

The forum has given in-principle approval to the draft for the Intermediate Board Coordination Commission to enhance the verification of documents, liaison and cooperation among all the boards of education. Likewise, an approval has been given to appoint Muhammad Asim as executive to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).

He said that Citizen Building F-9 Park was being converted into Gandhara Heritage and Culture Centre and the committee would be headed by the prime minister. He said that Ms Nazia Shaheen and Shabar Abbas had been demanded by the Italian government to be taken into custody for their alleged involvement in a murder in Italy: They will be sent back to Italy.

Fawad said that similarly the UAE had demanded taking Muhammad Usman into custody and action was being taken to send him to the UAE.

He said that on the recommendation of Lahore High Court, approval has been given to shift Banking Court No. 1 from Multan to Dera Ghazi Khan.

Fawad said that approval has been given to set up a 200 million gallon water plant in Gwadar, this is a CPEC project and it will enable the citizens of Gwadar to get clean water.

He said that Dr Shaista Zeeshan has been approved to be appointed as Executive Member National Medical Authority for four years and on the recommendation of Drug Regulatory Authority has been approved to change the composition of three drugs but there will be no change in their selling price.

The minister said that approximately Rs23 million worth of goods, including N95, safety shoes, and dresses, had been approved for Cuba to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

He said that the cabinet has sent the draft of Pakistan Planning and Management Bill 2021 to the committee on the recommendation of the Ministry of Planning.

Opposition senators seek details of retired military officers' appointments in NADRA

Opposition leaders in the Senate on Wednesday sought details of retired military officials appointed at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

The senators' demand came after the Ministry of Interior submitted a detailed answer in the Upper House of the Parliament, where it stated that none of the 13,997 employees of NADRA belong to the military — whether on service or retired.

Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, during a session of the Senate, said the ministry's response was incomplete and asked for a complete record of the military personnel who were appointed by NADRA after they retired from the army.

"The youth of the country are searching for jobs [...] but they cannot find any," the senator said, as he reiterated his demand of making the data of retired army officers appointed in NADRA available.

PML-N Senator Azam Nazir Tarar said that he had received information that retired military officers were working as directors and deputy directors at the database authority.

Extending Ahmed's questions, Tarar demanded the reason behind their appointment, when and how many were appointed, and whether they were given employment on the basis of merit or quota.

"What were the additional qualifications of the retired military personnel? The details of their assignments should also be provided," he added.

Responding to the queries, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan asked the senators to submit the questions afresh, so the Ministry of Interior could reply accordingly.

Ruckus over NSP; token walkout

Meanwhile, there was ruckus in the upper house of Parliament, as senators lashed out at the government for not presenting the National Security Policy (NSP) in the Senate.

"What sort of a policy is this that the parliament did not get a chance to debate over? The parliament has not even seen this policy," Senator Sherry Rehman said, chiding the government.

Leader of the House for the Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem said the NSP was presented to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, but the Opposition decided to boycott the session.

However, he noted that when "the men in uniform come to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security meeting, then the Opposition rushed to attend it".

In response, the Opposition members protested in front of the senate chairman's dias and then staged a token walkout. Later, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani was able to restore order to the house.

The National Security Committee (NSC) on Monday approved Pakistan’s first-ever National Security Policy (NSP) 2022-2026, and on Tuesday, it received the federal cabinet's nod as well.

Bitcoin falls 6.1 percent to $47,607

Bitcoin dropped 6.13% to $47,606.92 on Tuesday, losing $3,111.19 from its previous close.

Bitcoin, the world's biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, is down 31% from the year's high of $69,000 on Nov. 10.

Ether, the coin linked to the ethereum blockchain network, dropped 5.57 % to $3,812.6 on Tuesday, losing $224.8 from its previous close.

Nawaz Sharif’s return to country will have no effect on PM Imran Khan: Sheikh Rasheed

Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Wednesday said that Nawaz Sharif’s return to country will have no effect and Prime Minister Imran Khan will complete his term.

While talking to media persons, Sheikh Rashid said that every party wants establishment to support it but establishment says that it will only support elected government of the country.

The minister said that this is a year of local bodies elections and will also contest next general elections under the leadership of Imran Khan. He further said that reducing poverty is agenda of Imran Khan and expressed hope that the premier will be able to control inflation in last year of his term.

Talking about return of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to country, Sheikh Rashid offered plane ticket to the PML-N supremo out of his own money.

Pakistan records 6 corona deaths, 348 fresh cases in day

Pakistan has reported 6 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 1,294,379. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 28,918 on Tuesday.

According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 348 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 13,066 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab, 7,666 in Sindh 5,924 in KP, 967 in Islamabad, 746 in Azad Kashmir, 363 in Balochistan, and 186 in GB.
Furthermore 481,096 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 444,752 in Punjab 181,285 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 108,534 in Islamabad, 34,657 in Azad Kashmir 33,626 in Balochistan and 10,429 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

 

DG ISPR terms NSP ‘important milestone’ in meeting emerging challenges

Terming the country’s first-ever National Security Policy (NSP) an “important milestone in the security of Pakistan,” the Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar said Tuesday the comprehensive framework recognises interlinkages between various strands of national security.

“The comprehensive framework recognises interlinkages between various strands of national security, imperative to meet emerging challenges in evolving global environment through a whole of government effort,” the military’s media wing said in a tweet.

…in evolving global environment through a whole of government effort. Pakistan’s Armed Forces will play their due part in achieving the vision laid out in the policy. (2/2)

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) December 28, 2021

The statement comes hours after the federal cabinet approved Pakistan’s first-ever NSP 2022-2026, which prioritises the security of the common man.

DG ISPR assured that Pakistan’s armed forces will play their due part in achieving the vision laid out in the policy.

Earlier today, after the federal cabinet meeting, National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf had tweeted: “After the National Security Committee’s (NSC) endorsement of Pakistan’s first-ever National Security Policy yesterday, the Cabinet has approved it today.”

“It is a truly historic achievement; a citizen-centric comprehensive National Security Policy with economic security at the core will now be pursued in earnest,” he stated.

He further added that this umbrella document will, over time, “help guide sectoral policies for the fulfilment of our national security objectives.”

Acknowledging the efforts of all the stakeholders, he wrote: “I would like to thank the civil and military leadership for all their support and input. The policy would not have seen the light of day without the Prime Minister’s constant leadership and encouragement.”

Pakistan remains committed to Afghanistan’s stability: COAS

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to cooperate with its international partners for peace in the region and ensuring a stable and prosperous future for Afghan people.

The army chief made these remarks in a meeting with Andreas Papastavrou, Greek Ambassador to Pakistan who paid a farewell call to Gen Qamar at GHQ, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security situation especially current situation in Afghanistan and cooperation in various fields were discussed, the military’s media wing added.

The army chief once again stressed upon the need for global convergence on Afghanistan and sincere efforts to avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe. “[The] COAS thanked the visiting dignitary for his services in Pakistan and acknowledged his contributions for fostering strong ties between the two countries,” according to the ISPR.

The outgoing Greek envoy appreciated Pakistan’s role in Afghan situation, special efforts for border management, role in regional stability and pledged to keep working for better relations between the two countries.

Earlier this month, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West called on General Qamar and discussed the current security situation in Afghanistan, besides opportunities of bilateral cooperation and matters of mutual interest.

ISPP had quoted the army chief as saying that the "world and the region could not afford an unstable Afghanistan", as he stressed the need for global convergence to avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe.

Lahore reports first case of Omicron variant

After Karachi and Islamabad, the provincial capital of Punjab also reported the first confirmed case of Omicron variant, the Punjab health department confirmed.

The Punjab Health Department said that the first Omicron patient in Lahore hails from Bahawalpur and has a travel history from Sindh. It said that the patient is undergoing treatment at home.

The health department said that samples have been taken from 12 people who came in contact with the patient for testing.

Meanwhile, the National Command and Operation Centre issued the latest coronavirus statistics suggesting that the positivity rate in Pakistan remained 0.69% during the last 24 hours.

As many as 291 new COVID-19 infections were confirmed after 41,869 diagnostic tests were conducted overnight, while three patients succumbed to the virus during the same period.

Pakistan has so far reported two confirmed and over 35 suspected cases of Omicron, apart from the latest case from Lahore.

The first case of the new COVID-19 strain reported from Islamabad on Saturday was the second confirmed case reported from Pakistan. The first-ever case from Pakistan which was reported from Karachi was confirmed by the Aga Khan University Hospital on December 13.

A second case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus had been reported from Karachi, sources within the Sindh Health Department had said later that week.

Moreover, 32 suspected cases were reported in Balochistan's Kalat district during a vaccination and diagnostic process.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), however, did not confirm any cases of the strain in Kalat.

IHC to indict Rana Shamim, co-accused in affidavit case on January 7

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) decided on Tuesday to indict on January 7 former Gilgi-Baltistan chief justice Rana Shamim and others accused in a contempt of court case, pertaining to the publication of an affidavit containing serious allegations against former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.

Shamim had drafted the affidavit, accusing the former top judge of Pakistan of judicial manipulation.

The latest development in the case came during a hearing headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Monday. The court announced January 7, 2022, as the date for indictment of the accused.

"Why shouldn't the court decide to indict him in the contempt case?" IHC CJ Minallah asked during the hearing.

Shamim, Ansar Abbasi, and others appeared before the court.

At the outset of the hearing, the sealed envelope containing Shamim's affidavit, which was received by the IHC last week, was presented in court.

Attorney-General of Pakistan (AJP) Khalid Javed Khan said that Shamim has to inform the court before whom he notarised his affidavit and who leaked it.

"The one who drafted the affidavit should open it," the AJP said.

The court then directed Shamim's counsel, Lateef Afridi, to open the envelope.

"The court wants the envelope to be opened in your presence and for you to see what is inside yourself," the IHC CJ remarked.

Afridi said that he will not open the affidavit.

"It had been sought by the court, therefore, it must unseal it," Afridi said.

"We received this [envelope] through courier but we never knew what it contained," Justice Minallah said.

"Your client [Shamim] had it sent [from London] through a courier service so then why are you hesitating to open it," he asked.

The court directed Shamim to unseal the envelope after which the sealed envelope was handed over to the former GB judge.

Shamim said that he confirmed that it was his affidavit which he had personally sealed. However, he said, "the courier service didn't seal the affidavit but the envelope in which the sealed affidavit was put [to be sent]".

Justice Minallah said that Shamim's response that had been submitted in court earlier has placed the entire burden on journalist Ansar Abbasi.

"He [Shamim] also said that the document could have been leaked by the notary public," the IHC CJ said, adding that this matter is not limited just to former CJP Nisar.

"The affidavit has cast doubt on the court. It is a statement which everyone is considering the truth," Justice Minallah said.

He asked Abbasi if he wants to say anything, to which Abbasi replied that he had a talk with Shamim before the news story's publication.

"He [Shamim] may be unable to recall properly and is forgetting, but I have explained this in my story and I have his text message as well," Abbasi said.

While presenting his arguments, the AGP said that Shamim has committed contempt of court.

Without naming anyone, the AGP said: "It is being reported for the last three days that the affidavit was recorded in someone's office."

"Surprisingly, no statement of denial of [the reports] has been issued," he said, moving the court to indict all the accused in the case.

At this, the court decided to frame charges against the ex-judge of GB and others on January 7, 2022.

 

Former CJ GB Rana Shamim says he was 'alone' when recording affidavit

Former Chief Judge in Gilgit Baltistan Rana Shamim on Tuesday has said that he was alone at the time when he had filed his affidavit.

Responding to reporters outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Rana Shamim said ask questions to those who are saying that I had recorded the affidavit in the presence of former Prime Minister (PM) Mian Nawaz Sharif.

On the other hand, IHC has directed to start contempt of court proceedings against ex-CJ Rana Shamim and summoned all the parties for arguments.

The IHC CJ remarked that it’s not contempt of court matter but a case of court’s accountability. It was being spread that this court has reached a compromise. The judiciary is presenting itself for accountability, he added.

The court has also ordered to resealed the affidavit envelop which was opened by Rana Shamim. The affidavit has nothing to do with former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar. It’s only an attempt to make IHC controversial, Athar Minallah stated

Novel corona claims 3 more lives across the country

Pakistan has reported 3 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 1,294,031. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 28,912 on Tuesday.

According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 291 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 13,066 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab, 7,663 in Sindh 5,922 in KP, 966 in Islamabad, 746 in Azad Kashmir, 363 in Balochistan, and 186 in GB.

Furthermore 480,901 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 444,670 in Punjab 181,247 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 108,502 in Islamabad, 34,657 in Azad Kashmir 33,625 in Balochistan and 10,429 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

5.3-magnitude earthquake jolts several areas of Gilgit-Baltistan

Earthquake tremors were felt in Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

PMD said that the frequency of the quake was 5.3 magnitude on the Richter scale, adding that it measured a depth of 45 kilometres.

Tremors were felt in the city at 7:31pm, while its epicentre was 26 north of Astore, Gilgit Baltistan. The frequency of the aftershocks was 4.5 magnitude on the Richter scale.

It should be recalled that a 4.2-magnitude earthquake had struck parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the wee hours of Friday last week.

Tremors were felt in Mansehra, Torghar, Battagram and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the PMD’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre, the magnitude of the earthquake was measured 4.2 on the Richter Scale.

The epicentre was 15 northwest of Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was an ideal world leader: Bilawal

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid a rich tribute to the first elected Prime Minister of the Islamic world and party chairperson Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and said that Benazir Bhutto is a beacon of a movement.

According to a statement issued by the Media Cell Bilawal House, the Chairman PPP in his message on the 14th martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto further said that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was an ideal world leader who showed great courage in her mission to achieve democracy in Pakistan.

The nation will never forget her national spirit, long struggle and strong leadership, he added.

Bilawal said her struggle to make the country a true welfare state in the light of the thoughts and vision of our founding ancestors is historical.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the assassination of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi was not just the murder of a dream to save the people from poverty, unemployment and injustice, but a conspiracy to kill the entire nation. He pointed out that the heinous conspiracy was foiled by former President Asif Ali Zardari with the slogan “Pakistan Khappay”.

The PPP Chairman said that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was a universal figure and a people’s leader who promoted unity, harmony and progressive thinking in Pakistan and protected the political and economic rights of the people. As the Prime Minister, she introduced people-friendly policies in the country despite fierce opposition and obstacles. She took innumerable steps for the service of the public, and also highlighted the true image of Pakistan on an international level. The gift of missile technology for the defense of our motherland by the first elected Prime Minister of the Islamic world, is also unforgettable.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that for democracy, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto lost her father, two brothers and even her mother. But she never feared the dictators. She kept fighting for democracy till the last hour of her life and in the end, achieved martyrdom.

Chairman PPP said that today is the day to make a pledge to eradicate terrorism and extremism from Pakistan, and to continue the struggle of strengthening democracy, supremacy of the Constitution and Parliament, and social equality. There can be no other way to pay homage to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

Shaukat Tarin takes oath as Federal Minister

President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday administered the oath of office to Shaukat Fayaz Ahmed Tarin who would be holding the portfolio of Minister for Finance.

After the oath, the president extended felicitation to the newly-sworn in member of the federal cabinet.

The ceremony was attended by the federal and provincial ministers, State Bank Governor Raza Baqir and other senior government officers.

Earlier, adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin took oath as senator which was administered by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.

The seat fell vacant after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Muhammad Ayub Afridi resigned as member of the upper house last month.

It is to be mentioned here that Shaukat Tarin was elected senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Out of 145 members of the provincial assembly, 122 cast their votes during Senate by-elections. The finance adviser won the seat after securing 87 votes.

Corona virus: Pakistan reports 2 deaths in last 24 hrs

Pakistan has reported 2 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 1,293,715. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 28,909 on Monday.

According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 301 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 13,064 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab, 7,662 in Sindh 5,922 in KP, 966 in Islamabad, 746 in Azad Kashmir, 363 in Balochistan, and 186 in GB.
Furthermore 480,710 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 444,610 in Punjab 181,235 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 108,450 in Islamabad, 34,657 in Azad Kashmir 33,624 in Balochistan and 10,429 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

SSGC announced closure of industrial gas supply in Sindh and Balochistan

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Sunday announced that industrial areas in Sindh and Balochistan will observe a one-day closure on a rotational basis.

According to a notification issued in this regard, the process will ensure better system pressures for other sectors.

The notification added that the decision has been taken because of the widening demand-supply gap and reduced RLNG retention that have affected all gas-consuming sectors.

It said that all industrial bodies, including export units, have agreed with the SSGC that a one-day planned industrial closure will be observed on a rotational basis by each industrial area for a period of one month, effective from today (December 26) till January 25, 2022.

The statement further added that industrial areas are expected to positively follow a specially laid down schedule for maintaining adequate pressure to all the sectors.

Peak hour traffic congestion, school timings changed in Islamabad

The timings for various schools in Islamabad have been changed in view of traffic congestion on roads due to ongoing construction work, it emerged on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat shared a notification issued on December 23 by the office of the district magistrate, which notes that traffic congestion due to construction of IJP Road and Rawal Dam chowk "has increased manifold causing nuisance, frequent accidents and road blockage".

"In order to reduce peak hour traffic congestion and facilitate smooth flow of traffic, the following blocks have been made sector-wise to streamline the traffic," the notification stated.

It added that the decision has been made on the recommendation of the Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Rai Mazhar.

All educational institutes that fall under the notified areas must abide by the newly notified timings.

Timings
Block 1 which consists of Sectors I and H will have the morning shift from 8am to 1pm, evening shift from 1:30pm to 6:30pm and Montessori and prep classes from 8:30am to 12:30pm.

Block 2 which consists of Sectors F-6 and F-7 will have the morning shift from 8am to 1pm, evening shift from 1:30pm to 6:30pm and Montessori and prep classes from 8:30am to 12:30pm.

Block 3 which consists of Sectors F-8 and F-10 will have the morning shift from 8:30am to 1:30pm, evening shift from 1:45pm to 6:45pm and Montessori and prep classes from 8:45am to 12:45pm.

Block 4 which consists of Sectors G-10 and G-11 will have the morning shift from 8am to 1pm, evening shift from 1:30pm to 6:30pm and Montessori and prep classes from 8:30am to 12:30pm.

Block 5 which consists of Sectors F-11 and E-11 will have the morning shift from 8:30am to 1pm, evening shift from 1:45pm to 6:45pm and Montessori and prep classes from 8:45am to 12:45pm.

On recommendation of the SSP @RaiMazharPSP following order had been issued to manage congestion on roads because of construction of IJP Road and Rawal Dam chowk. We will keep on reviewing the situation and will evolve a plan which reduces traffic load during rush hours https://t.co/aTEsl25G96

— Office of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad (@dcislamabad) December 23, 2021

 

Rana Shamim got his affidavit notarised at Nawaz’s office, Fawad Chaudhry said

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry Sunday said that former Gilgit-Baltistan chief justice Rana Shamim had gotten his affidavit— in which he accused former CJP Mian Saqib Nisar of collusion to deny bails to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz before the general elections 2018— notarised in the presence of Nawaz Sharif at his office.

Taking to Twitter, Fawad Chaudhry shared a newspaper clipping and said new revelations proved once again that the Sharif family worked like a Sicilian mafia. He said that the report exposed the Sharif family’s expertise in blackmailing institutions, including the judiciary, like a “mafia”

As per the report shared by the minister, “Rana Shamim, former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan took the oath and signed an affidavit in the office of none other than Mian Nawaz Sharif, trying to incriminate former chief justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and honorable sitting judge of the Islamabad High Court.”

On November 17, it was reported that ex-CJ of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim was in direct contact with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Shamim's son, Ahmed Hassan Rana had claimed.

Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, Supreme Court's Advocate Ahmed Hassan Rana had said that his father had had long-standing relations with Nawaz Sharif and that he had been the vice president of PML-N Sindh's lawyer wing. He had said his father was Nawaz Sharif's lawyer in the Memogate scandal case.

Hammad Azhar, Miftah Ismail spar on Twitter over use of furnace oil for power generation

Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar and former finance minister Miftah Ismail on Sunday sparred on Twitter over the use of furnace oil for power generation.

It all began when Azhar tweeted a thread to "clarify some misconceptions" on the status of operations in the country's refineries and the use of furnace oil.

The energy minister said that this summer Pakistan faced a "moderate shortage" of furnace oil as furnace oil power plants ran more than last year, attributing it to a merit order that ranks available sources of energy in ascending order of costs associated. He said furnace oil had to be relied on due to low water levels in dams. Consequently, furnace oil consumption was 116% higher.

He went on to state that for winter, 200,000 tonnes of furnace oil has been imported due to three reasons: a higher demand projection, risks of further default by LNG cargoes and low stock levels at independent power producers.

Azhar said that fortunately, during the November-December period, no defaults of LNG cargoes were experienced and so with LNG supply intact, furnace oil plants did not need to run.

The minister continued to say that furnace oil plants are indeed running again currently but that is because of lowering flows from dams as canals have been closed (an annual activity usually done for maintenance purposes). He said that in a couple of days, these plants will be consuming 13,000 tonnes per day of furnace oil.

"Local refineries produce only half that volume and IPP stock levels are still below the required levels," he added.

He assured readers that the country is "well stocked on furnace oil" in case any further LNG cargo defaults are experienced.

Meanwhile, the surplus of furnace oil at some refineries is being given to IPPs whose furnace oil consumption "is already above 6,000 tonnes per day".

Azhar also said that a "new refinery policy" is being finalised to shift refineries away from furnace oil production.

I will grant visa within 24 hours for Nawaz Sharif: Sheikh Rasheed

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed on Sunday said that if PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif wants to return to Pakistan, he will issue a "visa" to him within 24 hours and will also "pay for his air ticket".

Rasheed made the announcement after rumours started spreading that Nawaz would possibly return to Pakistan ahead of the next general elections.

Speaking during a press conference in Karachi, the interior minister said that Nawaz had left the country citing medical reasons but "never visited a doctor" once he reached England.

Answering a question related to the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, Rasheed said: "Your threats will not affect us in any way; you should look at your own conduct. No one else has been as corrupt as you, so you cannot hold us accountable for anything."

Rasheed went on to say that both, the Sharif and Zardari families, are "corrupt", so Prime Minister Imran Khan will continue to fight against their corruption "till his last breath".

The interior minister was also questioned about the founder of MQM Altaf Hussain, and in response, he said that he has known him since his days as a student.

"We cannot talk to him (Altaf) anymore because he has too many murder cases registered against his name," the minister said. "On the other hand, we have had a good relationship with MQM-Pakistan and will continue to do so."

He reiterated that despite the Opposition's aggressive campaign to oust the PTI-led government, PM Imran Khan will not be going anywhere. He added that the government has good relations with the establishment.

All matric, intermediate students passed in practical exams in Sindh

The Sindh Board Committee of Chairmen on Sunday announced to pass all matric and intermediate students who could not appear in their practical exams.

According to a notification issued in this regard, another change has been introduced for matric and intermediate students in Sindh: Those students who wish to reappear in a paper for the purpose of improvement can now do it four times.

Previously, students who wished to improve their percentages could only retake the exam once.

Acording to the Chairman of the Sindh Board Committee of Chairmen Professor Saeed Uddin, the decision has been taken in line with the system in place for federal board students.

He also said that special examinations will be conducted for students in February 2022.

Body of missing Pakistani-American woman found from Lakki Marwat: police

The body of Wajiha Swati, a US citizen of Pakistani origin who went missing from Rawalpindi in October has been found, police said on Saturday.

City Police Officer Rawalpindi Sajid Kiani, addressing a press conference, said that the case is under investigation and the police will not divulge too many details at this point.

Kiyani did reveal some aspects that came to light during investigations, such as Swati arriving in Pakistan on October 16 and being received by her former husband, Rizwan Habib.

He went on to say that three people — Habib, his father and one other suspect — have been arrested in connection with the case.

The CPO said that Wajiha's body was found from Lakki Marwat's Pizu area and that it is being brought to Islamabad.

He said that further investigations are underway and further arrests are expected.

The police officer said that the probe team gathered sufficient evidence after which the arrests were made. He added that the US embassy sought details from the police owing to Swati being a US citizen.

"How the murder was carried out, what weapon was used, is something it would be too premature to comment on," the CPO said.

He vowed that the police will ensure the culprits get their just desserts.

Earlier in the day, sources within the police claimed that her ex-husband, Rizwan Habib, has confessed to killing her.

Habib "confessed to his crime" during police interrogation, the sources said.

The sources said that Swati came to Pakistan from England on October 16 to resolve property issues with her ex-husband.

The US woman was murdered the same day she arrived in Rawalpindi, they added.

A case relating to her abduction was registered at Morgah Police Station in Rawalpindi on the complaint of her son.

According to the sources, Habib said that he had killed Swati on October 16 and buried her body in Hangu.

On the directions of RPO Rawalpindi, a police team was sent to Hangu to recover the body.

DPO Ikramullah Khan said that the police arrested Habib's father last night from Hangu on charges of aiding and abetting the murder.

The DPO said that Swati's body has yet to be exhumed.

On December 23, the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench's Justice Raja Shahid Mehmood Abbasi ordered the city police officer (CPO) to recover Swati soon otherwise the court will summon the Inspector General of Police. The court had ordered the police to present her in court after recovering her.

Rawalpindi police arrested Habib and produced him before the judicial magistrate Zaheer Safdar. The court handed over the accused to the police on a four-day physical remand.

Pakistan Army soldier martyred in terrorist attack on North Waziristan checkpost

A soldier was martyred in North Waziristan's Shewa area after terrorists targeted a checkpost, a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Saturday.

The military's media wing, in a statement, said terrorists fired at a military post.

According to the ISPR, the troops responded promptly and "effectively engaged the terrorists' location". During an exchange of fire, Naik Noor Merjan, who was 32 years old, embraced shahadat (martyrdom).

"Clearance of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area," the statement read.

In October, a security forces personnel was martyred in North Waziristan's Ghariuom after terrorists targeted a check-post.

According to the ISPR, during an exchange of fire, sepoy Muhammad Amir Iqbal, who was 30 years old, embraced shahadat (martyrdom).

Tear gas fired at anti-coup rallies in Sudan

Thousands of Sudanese protesters rallied on Saturday two months after a military coup, demanding soldiers “go back to the barracks” and calling for a transition to civilian rule.

Waving flags, beating drums, dancing and chanting, crowds marched on the streets of Khartoum despite a heavy deployment of security forces — who later fired tear gas to break them up.

Officers had earlier blocked bridges connecting the capital to suburbs, cut phone lines and restricted the internet ahead of the planned protests.

At least 48 people have died in crackdowns during weeks of demonstrations, according to the independent Doctors’ Committee, and Khartoum’s state governor has warned that security forces “will deal with those who break the law and create chaos”.

Demonstrators converged on the presidential palace in Khartoum, the headquarters of the military government in control since General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan seized power on October 25.

Burhan held civilian leader Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok effectively under house arrest for weeks, but after international pressure reinstated him on November 21 under a deal promising elections for July 2023.

Limited operations of much-awaited Green Line bus kick off in Karachi

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail on Saturday took a ride on Karachi’s new Green Line bus, kicking off initial operations for a much-awaited project which was stalled for the last five years.

Following the inspection of his bus, he told the media that the elevators of the Green Line bus "aren’t malfunctioning". He said that all stations of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will be fully operational from January 10, 2022.

Ismail said that the minimum bus fare will be Rs15 and the maximum will amount to Rs55. Addressing the confusion regarding the card for the service, he clarified that the bus card is confusing people but this will be charged like any mobile phone card.

It may be recalled that Prime Minister Imran Khan had inaugurated the bus service project on December 10 during his one-day visit to Karachi.

The inauguration was held at the main station of the Green Line project at Numaish Chowrangi.

Travellers must note that 11 out of 22 stations will remain operational till January 10 with 25 out of the total 80 hybrid energy buses to operate for only four hours a day, from 8am to 12pm.

According to Sindh Infrastructure Development Company (SIDCL) officials, buses, stations, and working hours will be increased after January 10.

The buses will shuttle between Surjani town, Abdullah Chowk, and Numaish Chowrangi. These buses will arrive at the stations every five minutes.

The buses can accommodate more than 150 people at a time and special seats have been reserved for disabled people.

Those people who plan to travel on a daily basis can also have cards made that can be recharged just like mobile cards.

The bus service will be monitored by CCTV cameras and the name of the station where the bus will stop will appear on a screen inside the bus.