Page 14 - Shehbaz Sharif

PM Sharif says 'even friendly countries started looking at Pak as beggars'

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has presented a bleak picture of the country's dwindling economy, regretting that even friendly countries had started looking at Pakistan as one that was always begging for money. Today, when we go to any friendly country or make a phone call, they think that we have come [to them] to beg for money, Dawn news quoted the prime minister as saying in an address to a lawyers' convention on Wednesday. Sharif said even small economies have surpassed Pakistan, and we have been wandering for the past 75 years carrying a begging bowl. According to the prime minister, the country's economy was facing a "challenging situation" even before the floods, which had made it more "complicated". The cash-strapped nation has been struggling with the worst floods in the past 30 years, leaving more than 1,400 dead and 33 million people affected since early June. A third of the country is submerged in water and one in every seven persons is badly affected by the fl

Russia can supply gas to Pak as infra already in place: Putin tells Sharif

Russia can supply gas to Pakistan as necessary infrastructures are already in place, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday during his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Uzbekistan. The high-level meeting took place shortly after Prime Minister Sharif reached Samarkand in Uzbekistan to attend the annual meeting of the SCO's Council of Heads of State (CHS) during a two-day visit from September 15 to 16. "The issue is about pipeline gas supplies from Russia to Pakistan, which is also possible, which means part of infrastructure has already been created, meaning Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. We have to solve the Afghan issue," Putin was quoted as saying by Russia's state-run TASS news agency. "Of course, there are problems connected with political stability, but having in mind our mutually good relations with the Afghan people, I hope this problem can also be solved, I mean Pakistan's influence on the situation in the country," he ...

SCO Summit 2022 kicks off in Uzbekistan today: All you need to know

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is considered one of the most important conclaves in the Central Asian region

PM Modi likely to meet Pak PM Sharif during SCO summit in Uzbekistan

The Prime Minister is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jingping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the SCO summit

Massive floods likely to reduce Pak's GDP by over 2 percentage points: PM

The massive floods in Pakistan are likely to reduce its GDP by over 2 percentage points and the government is grappling with the immediate challenge of averting an imminent food insecurity in the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said. During a telephonic conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to express gratitude for extending humanitarian relief assistance to Pakistan, Sharif said the ongoing floods have devastated millions of acres of standing crops, houses and critical infrastructure in the country, according to an official statement. The prime minister said as per initial estimates, the floods are likely to reduce Pakistan's GDP by over 2 percentage points. Pakistan is grappling with the immediate challenge of averting an imminent food insecurity in the country as well as providing for rescue and rehabilitation of the victims of this climate-induced calamity, Sharif told Erdogan. He said the government is fighting to avoid food shortages du

Pak pegs flood losses at $30 billion, UN chief calls for 'massive' help

Sharif said 'Pakistan needs an infinite amount of funding' for its relief effort, adding the country 'will remain in trouble as long as it doesn't receive sufficient international assistance'.

Pak court to indict Imran Khan in contempt case for controversial remarks

A Pakistani court on Thursday decided to indict former prime minister Imran Khan in contempt of court case against him for making controversial remarks against a female judge, calling his response "unsatisfactory". During a rally here earlier this month, 69-year-old Khan had threatened to file cases against top police officials, election commission and political opponents over the treatment meted out to his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested on charges of sedition. He had also taken exception to Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved Gill's two-day physical remand at the request of the police, and said she should "prepare herself as action would be taken against her." Hours after the speech, Khan was booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act for threatening police, judiciary and other state institutions at his rally. Justice Aamer Farooq decided to initiate contempt proceedings against Khan while hearing a petition challenging Gill's police remand. A ...

Indictment of Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif in money laundering case delayed

The indictment of Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and his son, ex-Punjab CM Hamza Shehbaz, in a Rs 16 billion money laundering case was delayed again after the two filed fresh petitions seeking acquittal

India ready to send humanitarian aid for floods, Pak yet to accept: Sources

Foreign ministry officials of both countries were initially in touch for distribution of aid but Indian officials now say they aren't hearing from Islamabad

Flood Relief Fund to be audited to ensure transparency: Pak PM Shehbaz

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday announced to get PM Flood Relief Fund audited by the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) and a private audit firm to ensure transparency.He also announced that audit reports will be made public, reported Geo News. Taking to Twitter, the prime minister said that the decision was made as he made a commitment to ensure transparency."As per my commitment to ensuring transparency, Government has decided to get PM Flood Relief Fund audited by AGPR & a private audit firm of global standing. They will audit all incoming & outgoing funds including where & how the money is spent. The audit reports will be made public," tweeted Shehbaz.Shehbaz established a relief fund last month to help the people affected by the floods and appealed to the public to contribute, reported Geo News.He also expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping for increasing his country's assistance package from the initial RMB 100 million ..

Amid floods, inflation, a political crisis is the last thing Pakistan needs

Accused of economic mismanagement and toppled in a no-confidence vote in April, Imran Khan has since kept up a steady stream of attacks on the coalition government that replaced him

Pak PM thanks PM Modi for his concern amid devastating floods in Pakistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday thanked his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for his concern over the human and material losses caused by the devastating floods, saying his country will overcome the adverse effects of the natural calamity. Floods triggered by unprecedented monsoon rains have caused widespread havoc across Pakistan, killing over 1,100 people and displacing 33 million or one-seventh of the country's population. I thank Indian PM Narendra Modi @narendramodi for condolences over the human & material losses caused by floods. With their characteristic resilience the people of Pakistan shall, InshaAllah, overcome the adverse effects of this natural calamity & rebuild their lives and communities, Sharif said in a tweet. Prime Minister Modi on Monday said he was saddened to see the devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan and hoped for an early restoration of normalcy. "Saddened to see the devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan. We extend .

Countries should not leave Pakistan at mercy of climate change: PM Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the international community should not leave developing countries like Pakistan at the mercy of climate change

Islamabad HC dismisses contempt of court plea against PM Shahbaz Sharif

The coalition government is looking to make relevant amendments that would help repeal the ban imposed on Sharif by a Supreme Court judgment in the Panama Papers case against him

Pakistan floods: PM Shehbaz Sharif calls emergency multi-party meeting

The floods affected the lives of millions of people after which the Pakistan government declared a national emergency

Pakistan set to dodge short-term default; political turmoil grows

Pakistan needs financial help to deal with "overwhelming" floods, its foreign minister said, adding that he hoped financial institutions such as the IMF would take the economic fallout into account

Imran Khan's party trying to sabotage IMF deal, says Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday accused Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of trying to sabotage a deal with the IMF ahead of the Washington-based lender's crucial board meeting, asserting that self-centred politics will cause huge injustice to the country. The IMF executive board will convene on Monday to decide whether to disburse USD 1.18 billion loan tranche to Pakistan, as the country scrambles to avoid an economic collapse, amid high inflation and dwindling foreign exchange reserves. "I have never seen such self-centred politics; it will be a huge injustice with Pakistan and a big conspiracy against the country, Sharif said, while referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, on his visit to inspect flood victims in Sindh province. On Friday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra shot off a sharply-worded letter to his federal counterpart Miftah Ismail, saying it would be next to impossible to run a provincial surplus this

Shehbaz cancels UK visit as Pak declares floods as national emergency

The Pakistan government has declared the flood situation in the country a 'national emergency, calling for donations to help rehabilitate the flood-affected people, media reports said

Pak's cycles of confrontation and overreaction benefit nobody but populists

Imran Khan's conspiracy-minded followers fully believe that a junior US diplomat masterminded their leader's sacking as prime minister

Qatar plans to invest $3 bn in Karachi and Islamabad airports: Report

The money will be invested through the Qatar Investment Authority, according to a statement issued by Qatar's Emiri Diwan, which is the administrative office of the Emir of Qatar, Samaa TV reported