Page 21 - Pakistan Government

Unions seek full EY report for discussions on PSU general insurers rejig

The Joint Forum of Trade Unions and Associations (JFTU) in 4 PSUs general insurers reiterated their demand for discussions on restructuring after full report is submitted by the consultancy firm EY

Pak PM on two-day visit to UAE to ramp up bilateral economic, trade ties

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif travelled to the UAE on Thursday on a two-day visit aimed at ramping up bilateral economic and trade ties, just days after the country's powerful Army chief General Asim Munir concluded his trip to the Gulf emirate. Sharif is leading a delegation of key ministers on his third visit to the UAE since becoming prime minister in April last year. He was received by UAE's Minister for Economic Affairs Touq Al Mari at Abu Dhabi airport. "My visit to the UAE is aimed at building on the conversation I have had with H.H. President Sheikh @MohamedBinZayed. We share a resolve & understanding that the continuous efforts need to be made to further strengthen trade, investment & economic relations," Sharif tweeted after landing in the UAE. Pakistan's Foreign Office said on Tuesday that Sharif will meet the UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed with a particular focus on advancing economic, trade and investment ties between the two countries. "The two .

Pak: Punjab CM Parvez Elahi receives 186 votes to secure trust vote

In a midnight drama in Pakistan's Punjab Assembly, Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi managed to obtain a vote of confidence paving the way for its dissolution on the wish of ousted prime minister Imran Khan. Punjab Governor Baligur Rehman of the PMLN had sought a vote of confidence from CM Elahi last month in a bid to stop the dissolution of the assembly. He had de-notified Elahi and his cabinet for failing to comply his order. However, the Lahore High Court had restored Elahi and his cabinet. On Wednesday, the LHC held hearing in this case and remarked that the chief minister would have to take trust vote. In the light of the court's observation, Elahi secured the required 186 votes from the Punjab Assembly in the ongoing session at 1 am Thursday amid the Opposition's protest. Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan presided over the session and said CM Elahi had received 186 votes required to secure the trust vote. The Opposition led by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) boycott

Ex-Pak general convicted of espionage pardoned by new military leadership

A retired Pakistani general convicted of sharing "classified information" with foreign spies has been pardoned by the new military leadership and released from prison.

Pak needs $30 bn to cover short and long-term needs of flood victims: PM

Pakistan needs about USD 30 billion to cover the short and long-term needs of the victims of last year's floods that claimed about 1,700 lives, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said, as he sought the international's community's support ahead of a key donors conference. More than 33 million were affected due to massive floods hitting the country last summer, leaving many at the mercy of international donors. Sharif's comments came as he sought the support of the global community ahead of an international conference being jointly hosted by Pakistan and the UN in Geneva on Monday. Sharif in an article in The Guardian, a British daily newspaper, wrote that a comprehensive roadmap for post-flood reconstruction and rehabilitation, to be presented at the conference, has been developed with the assistance of the World Bank, the UN, the Asian Development Bank and the European Union. He said the roadmap essentially envisages a two-pronged response to deal with the ravages of the flood. The

Thousands protest against rising terrorism in northwest Pakistan

Thousands of tribesmen in Pakistan's northwest took to the streets to protest against rising incidents of terrorism and kidnapping in the country's tribal districts bordering Afghanistan while demanding immediate restoration of peace in the region. Over 5,000 tribesmen took out a rally on Friday in Wana, the headquarters of the South Waziristan tribal district, against the growing unrest, terrorism, and kidnappings in their areas. The protest comes amidst rising terrorist attacks in the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces that are believed to have been carried out by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group based in Afghanistan. Pushtoon nationalist and leader of Pushtoon Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) Manzoor Pushteen addressed the protesters carrying placards and banners. The protesters demanded the restoration of peace and harmony in the tribal districts. All the shops and markets were closed in Wana bazaar as a protest against the surge in unr

Pakistan to seek over $16 bn for flood rehabilitation at UN conference

Pakistan is likely to seek over USD 16 billion at a UN conference next week for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the areas devastated by last year's catastrophic floods which caused the country a loss of about USD 30 billion, officials said on Thursday. The flood triggered by unprecedented monsoon rains killed at least 1,739 people while affecting over 33 million. At one time, one third of Pakistan territory was under water. The "International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan" is being held in Geneva on January 9 and co-hosted by the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations to seek funding for the flood victims, according to Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch. She said that the Conference will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. "The programme will feature a high-level opening segment, where leaders will make supportive statements," she said at her weekly media briefing here. Officials of the ..

Pakistan plans to shut malls, markets early in a bid to save power

Khawaja Asif told journalists the Cabinet-approved measures to shut markets, including restaurants, aimed to save the cash-strapped country about 62 billion Pakistani rupees ($273 million)

Pakistan braces for economic meltdown exposure without IMF umbrella

At the moment, Pakistan's shrinking foreign exchange reserves and inflation remain as the two most challenging and key factors for the government

Pakistan govt invites Imran Khan's party for 'unconditional negotiations'

The Pakistan government on Saturday invited Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party for holding unconditional talks, saying negotiations are part of the political process and complex problems are resolved when two sides hear each other out. Addressing a joint press conference with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party should sit down and negotiate with the government to resolve the impasse over holding early general elections. At the same time, they said that threats and talks cannot go together. The development comes after PTI chief Khan on Friday warned that he would dissolve the assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces ruled by his party if the federal government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif did not sit down for talks and announce dates for the general elections. The federal government led by Prime Minister Sharif is opposed to holding elections now. The term of the

Pakistani Taliban ends months-long cease-fire with govt, vows new attacks

The Pakistani Taliban on Monday ended a months-long ceasefire with the government in Islamabad, ordering its fighters to resume attacks across the country, where scores of deadly attacks have been blamed on the insurgent group. In a statement, the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan said it decided to end the five-month-old cease-fire after Pakistan's army stepped up operations against them in former northwestern tribal areas and elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. Pakistan and the TTP had agreed to an indefinite cease-fire in May after talks in Afghanistan's capital. There was no immediate comment from the government or the military. The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but are allies of the Afghanistan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan more than a year ago as the US and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan emboldened TTP, whose top leaders and fighters are hiding in ...

Pak govt seek constitutional amendment to empower PM to retain army chief

The planned amendment of the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 would empower the prime minister to retain an incumbent Army chief with a simple notification rather than through a complex process

It's behind me: Imran Khan takes a U-turn on US conspiracy claim

Imran Khan has said he wants to mend relations with the US if re-elected and no longer blames it for his removal as Pakistan prime minister, apparently taking a U-turn after accusing Washington of engineering his ouster by supporting the then Opposition's no-confidence motion. Khan, 70, who was ousted in April in a no-confidence vote had been claiming that he was the result of a conspiracy between prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and the US, a top security partner to Pakistan that has provided the country with billions of dollars in military aid. He had been claiming that the Opposition's no-confidence motion against him was the result of a foreign conspiracy because of his independent foreign policy on Islamabad's ties with countries like China and Russia and funds were being channelled from abroad to oust him from power. In an interview with the Financial Times following an assassination attempt this month, Khan said he no longer blamed the US and wants a dignified relationship if ..

Assassination attempt on Imran a lone-wolf attack; no conspiracy: Pak media

As per the CTD forensic team, the report said, eight bullets hit the container-top, six bullet holes were found, whereas two bullets brushed aside the container wall

Imran Khan rejects police report into shooting, says current PM not named

Police in the Punjab province, where the attack took place Thursday, registered a complaint, known as First Information Report. Khan's party rejected it since it doesn't name current PM Shehbaz Sharif

Zardari calls for impartial investigation over attack on Imran Khan

'I would like to reiterate my unequivocal condemnation of this attack. There must be a free, fair and impartial investigation'

Pakistan make it to T20 WC semifinals with five-wicket win over Bangladesh

Pakistan qualified for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup after defeating Bangladesh by five wickets here on Sunday. In their high-stake last Super 12 match, Pakistan rode on Shaheen Afridi's four for 22, his career-best T20I figures, to first restrict Bangladesh to 127 for eight and then chased down the target in 11 balls to spare. Opting to bat, Bangladesh opener Najmul Hossain Shanto made 54, while Afif Hossain remained unbeaten on 24. Later, Pakistan chased down the target with consummate ease, reaching 128 for five in 18.1 overs. Mohammad Rizwan made a run-a-ball 32, while Mohammad Haris scored an 18-ball 31. Nasum Ahmed (1/14) was the best bowler for Bangladesh. Pakistan join India from Group 2 in the semifinals. Brief Scores: Bangladesh: 127 for 8 in 20 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 54; Shaheen Afridi 4/22, Shadab Khan 2/30). Pakistan: 128 for 5 in 18.1 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 32, Mohammad Haris 31; Nasum Ahmed 1/14).

Imran Khan the demolisher

There has always been a risk-taking edge to Imran Khan. Like him or hate him, it had to be someone like him to finally threaten to demolish the Establishment

Imran Khan addresses nation, says he knew about the assassination plot

I already knew about their plan to attack me but I will continue to call out the corrupt who are stealing people's money, said Khan in his address to the nation a day after he was shot in the leg

Pak drops ISI representative from team probing journalist's death in Kenya

The Pakistan government on Wednesday reconstituted a panel probing the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya by dropping an ISI representative from the team, days after he was shot dead by the Nairobi police. Sharif, 49, a former reporter and TV anchor with ARY TV, and known for his proximity to former prime minister Imran Khan, had fled to Kenya after he was booked on charges of sedition and peddling anti-state narrative by Pakistan's security agencies earlier this year. The journalist was shot dead at a police checkpoint at an hour's distance from Nairobi on Sunday night. The Kenyan police later said it was a case of mistaken identity during a search for a similar car involved in a child abduction case. On Wednesday, the Interior Ministry removed a representative of the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) from the list of officials who will be part of the team that will ascertain facts in the killing of Sharif from the Kenyan Police and relevant authorities. The minist