Pakistani Super star Ali Noor hospitalised with Hepatitis A

Pakistani Super star Musician Ali Noor, the lead vocalist of popular Pakistani rock band Noori, is critically ill and in urgent need of a liver donor.

Ali Noor's family and friends confirmed on Wednesday that the singer was admitted at a private hospital in Islamabad and urgently required a liver transplant within the next 48 hours.

"Need a Liver Donor for Ali Noor in the next 48 hours. Blood groups..Only B +ve, B -ve, O +ve O -ve. In Islamabad...please it’s urgent!" the band Noori posted on its official Facebook page.

According to reports, the singer had contracted Hepatitis which deteriorated into liver damage during treatment. He is said to be in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital at the moment.

Family and friends of the musician added that Ali Noor requires a liver donor within 18 to 45 years of age.

Later Ali Hamza, brother of Noor, posted on Facebook asking fans not to panic.

"Guys!! No need to panic as yet. Inshallah Ali Noor will be back on his feet very soon!," Hamza wrote on Facebook. "He has suffered an intense bout of Hepatitis A. There is possibility of liver damage, but he’s being monitored by the best in the business."

He added, "As for needing a liver donor, the doctors are saying that we do need to have people on standby, but they can only be family members — our local law does not allow outside of family donors."

Hamza continued, "But more than anything, most probably, Inshallah Inshallah we won’t have to go that route. We are already seeing improvement in Ali Noor’s condition."

"What we need are prayers from everyone that Ali Noor recovers in full form! I can’t thank you enough for all your support!! God Bless You! It’s very important at this stage that we sit at our respective abodes and just pray for Ali Noor’s recovery," he said.

"THERE IS NO NEED FOR A BLOOD DONOR, AND THE ONLY LIVER DONOR IF NEED BE WOULD BE A FAMILY MEMBER! ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! YOUR PRAYERS ARE ALL WE NEED!! LOTS OF LOVE AND RESPECT FROM OUR FAMILY!," Hamza added. 

Pak-India ready to resume Kartarpur talks

Pakistan on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to expeditious completion of Kartarpur Corridor as it accepted an Indian proposal for a second bilateral meeting on the modalities for the functioning of visa-free passage in the second week of July.

“Pakistan, today, conveyed to India that the second meeting to discuss the draft agreement for finalizing the modalities of Kartarpur Corridor and related technical issues will be held on 14th July, 2019 at Wagah,” said a Foreign Office (FO) statement.

India had earlier pulled out of the second bilateral meeting scheduled for April 2 after the two sides had met at Attari on March 14.

The FO said the Indian side was asked to share the composition of its delegation visiting Wagah on July 14.

France's Secretary-General for Defence calls on COAS Gen Bajwa

France's Secretary-General for National Defence and Security, Claire Landais, on Tuesday called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa here at the Pakistan Army's headquarters in the city, the military's media wing said in a press release.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations' (ISPR) press release, "matters of mutual interest including defence & security cooperation and overall regional security situation were discussed" during the meeting.

"Both sides highlighted the need to increase military level interactions between the two countries to bolster defence ties," it added.

The ISPR further said the visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan Army's role "in battling the scourge of terrorism in the country and for maintenance of peace and stability in the region".

World Cup 2019: India won toss, choose to bat against Bangladesh

India won the toss and choose to bat against Bangladesh in ICC Cricket World Cup today (Tuesday).

The match started at 02:30 PM Pakistan Standard Time (PST).

On Sunday, India lost its first match of the tournament to hosts England and now is on the second spot on the points table with five wins out of seven.

On the other hand, Bangladesh holds the seventh spot on the points table.

Bangladesh squad:

Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Mithun, Abu Jayed, Mosaddek Hossain

India squad:

Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (w), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Y Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami

CNG’s price hike results in sparse public transport in Sindh

As the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has surged across Pakistan, the public transport in the metropolis remained scanty on the roads on Tuesday.

The transporters alliance in Karachi announced to go on a strike from today over an expected price hike of CNG by Rs18 in Sindh. Afterward, the increase in CNG prices skyrocketed to Rs20 per kg, bringing the price to Rs123/kg.

The public is facing massive difficulties to reach their workplaces and institutions due to fewer buses in the city.

Sindh Transport Minister Awais Shah on Monday called on the federal government to end sales tax on CNG. “The decision of increasing the sales tax on CNG will lead to increasing public transport fares”, he said in his statement.

Shah said the decision to bring a new wave of inflation as the hike in CNG prices will ultimately result in the hike in fares in Sindh.

The minister said Sindh producing gas more than any other province and demanded of the PTI led federal government to take back its decision. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will support transporters if they initiate any movement against the federal government, he warned.

No NRO, but option of plea bargain available: PM Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said no NRO will be given to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari however, an option of a plea bargain is available.

In an interview with a private channel on Monday night, PM Imran Khan said, “Those in prisons should know by know by now that foreign countries cannot do anything. They should know there is no pressure on the country from any foreign country for them to be sent abroad."

“They need to return the country’s money first then they can go anywhere they want,” the prime minister said.

PM Imran further said, “If Nawaz wants to go abroad for his medical treatment then he should return the looted money first and if Asif Ali Zardari has such an issue he should return the money.”

PM Imran added, “Money launderers are being kept as VIPs. I have asked the law ministry to shift them to a jail where regular prisoners are kept.”

Nawaz is imprisoned in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail after an accountability court handed him a seven-year jail term in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference, while former president Zardari is in National Accountability Bureau's custody in a case related to money laundering.

Rana Sanaullah sent to prison on 14-day judicial remand

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah was sent to prison on a 14-days judicial remand by a anti-narcotics court in Lahore on Tuesday.

Sanaullah's remand came following his arrest after the discovery of a large stash of contraband in his vehicle on Monday.

In the hearing of the case today, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) requested for a remand for the PML-N leader.

Earlier according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Security Faisal Shahzad, a security plan was devised for Sanaullah's court appearance, with more than 400 anti-riot force personnel deployed around the city.

On Monday, Sanaullah was arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) from near the Sukheke area in Punjab.

Sanaullah, a member of the National Assembly (MNA) and president of the PML-N's Punjab wing, was said to have been arrested in a drug-related case, with the ANF officials telling media he was arrested while travelling with his guards to a meeting from Faisalabad to Lahore.

An ANF (Lahore) spokesperson had confirmed that the PML-N's senior leader was arrested and a case was being filed in accordance with the Control of Narcotics Substances Act, 1997, after a large stash of contraband was recovered from his vehicle.

Riaz Soomro, the spokesperson said Sanaullah was arrested in light of numerous proofs.

Investigation in this regard was ongoing and further details would be revealed soon, Soomro added.