Page 8 - Shehbaz Sharif

'Neutral' person to be picked for interim premier post: Pakistan PM Sharif

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ruled out the possibility of the appointment of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as the caretaker prime minister, saying a "neutral person" will be selected to lead the interim government next month to make upcoming general elections transparent. Shehbaz Sharif, also the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party president indicated that Nawaz Sharif, three-time former prime minister and his elder brother, who has been living in self-imposed exile in London since 2019 will return to Pakistan in the next few weeks. The 73-year-old PML-N supremo will be the Prime Minister if the party wins the election, he said. He told Geo News that the notification of the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) would be sent to President Arif Alvi a few days ahead of the completion of the tenure of the lower house of Parliament. He maintained that the NA will complete its tenure at 12 midnight on August 12. He said the caretaker set-up would be agreed upon

Pak PM Sharif condemns Bajaur bomb blast, says culprits will be 'penalised'

Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Bajaur Blast and held a telephonic conversation with JUI-F supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Federal Minister for Communications Maulana Asad Mehmood

Smugglers using drones to send drugs across border into India: Pak official

Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, the Special Assistant on Defence to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made these remarks to Hamid Mir, a journalist associated with Pakistan's Geo News

Pakistan Cabinet approves National Adaptation Plan to combat climate change

Pakistan's Cabinet on Wednesday approved the National Adaptation Plan for building resilience to climate change, which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described as a national security issue after the last year's catastrophic floods. National Adaptation Plans are widely seen as one of the most important mechanisms for adapting to climate change. They aim to reduce vulnerabilities to climate impacts by creating comprehensive medium and long-term plans, including the integration of adaptation measures into national policy. "Climate change is redefining every human experience on the planet, especially in Pakistan. In the long journey to build resilience, our government is proud to pass our country's National Adaptation Plan, which will give Pakistan the essential tools to adapt to the risks of climate stress," Sharif tweeted. "As the last year's devastating floods showed, climate change is a development, economic, human and national security issue critical to the future of our people," h

Pak petroleum dealers threaten strike as govt fails to rise profit margins

The petroleum dealers in cash-strapped Pakistan have threatened to hold a nationwide strike from Saturday as they are dissatisfied with Shehbaz Sharif-led government on its failure to increase their profit margins, a media report said on Friday. Speaking at a press conference here, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Chairman Samiullah Khan, expressed their frustration over the government's inability to raise their profit margin to 5 per cent on the sale of two major petroleum products, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. Currently fixed at Rs 6 per litre (2.4 per cent), the 5 per cent margin would amount to over Rs 12 per litre, given the prevailing petrol and diesel prices of Rs 253/litre and Rs 253.50/litre, respectively, the report said. The latest fortnightly work for determining petroleum product prices, effective from July 16, indicated that the dealers were receiving Rs 7/litre instead of the claimed Rs 6/litre. However, this Rs 7 margin falls significantly sh

Pakistan court acquits PM Shehbaz, family in money laundering case

An accountability court in Pakistan acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his family members on Thursday in a multi-million-dollar money laundering case after the anti-corruption agency failed to provide any solid evidence against them. "An Accountability Court acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz, his wife Nusrat, his son Hamza and daughter Javaria in the PKR 7 billion money laundering case filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in 2020," a court official told PTI. The official said the court acquitted the premier and his family members after the NAB failed to provide any solid evidence against the suspects regarding the laundering of millions of dollars abroad, especially to the United Kingdom. The official further said the court, however, declared another daughter of the premier, Rabia Imran, a proclaimed offender and issued her an arrest warrant. Rabia had left for the UK since she was named in the case.

Pakistan govt to dissolve Parliament on Aug 8 to get extra time for polls

Pakistan's major ruling coalition partners have agreed to dissolve the National Assembly on August 8, a few days before the completion of its five-year term, to get extra time for general elections, according to a media report on Tuesday. The five-year constitutional term of the incumbent National Assembly expires on August 12 at midnight four days after the date on which both parties have reportedly agreed to dissolve the legislature. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) the two major stakeholders in the federal government have agreed to dissolve the National Assembly on August 8, the Geo News reported. August 9 and 10 also came under discussion, but it was decided to go for August 8 to avoid any hurdle in the early dissolution of the lower house of Parliament, the report said, quoting sources. According to the law, if the president doesn't approve the recommendation, the National Assembly stands dissolved after 48 hours giving the ...

Shehbaz Sharif to step down as Pak PM before next month; all you must know

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif said that he will hand over power to a caretaker government on August 14, paving the way for general elections

Will hand over power to caretaker setup next month: Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday announced that his government would hand over the power to a caretaker setup before the completion of its tenure next month, indicating the National Assembly is going to be dissolved days before the completion of its tenure to pace the general election in November. Just a couple of days ago the premier had announced that his government would complete its tenure which is ending on August 13. However, Shehbaz's change of mind appears to be an advice from his allied Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari. "Zardari in a meeting with PM Shehbaz on Saturday asked him to dissolve the National Assembly a couple of days before the government completes its tenure so that elections can be held in November," a senior PPP leader told PTI on Sunday. Under the Constitution, if the National Assembly completes its term, polls are to be held within 60 days. But if the assembly is dissolved prematurely, even if by a day, it would give th

Pakistan PM launches $3.5 bn Chinese-designed nuclear energy project

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday launched the 1200-megawatt nuclear power plant being built with China's assistance in Punjab province which is seen as a sign of growing strategic cooperation between the two all-weather allies. Earlier, Prime Minister Sharif had inked an agreement with China worth a whopping USD 3.5 billion under which Beijing would build the Chashma-V nuclear plant at Chashma in the Mianwali district of Punjab. He had termed the nuclear power plant agreement signing as a token of increasing economic cooperation between Pakistan and China and vowed to complete the project without any delay. The Chashma-5 nuclear energy project, which is by itself a huge milestone, a huge success story and a wonderful symbol of cooperation between two great friends," Sharif said. This mutual cooperation to promote clean, efficient and comparatively cheaper energy is a gift of friendship between the two countries and a model for other countries to emulate," he said.

Petition seeking Pak PM Sharif's disqualification filed in Lahore HC

A petition has been filed in a Pakistani court seeking the disqualification of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for making a "false promise" to the court regarding the return of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif from the UK after his treatment. The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period, observing that this petition should have moved when Shehbaz Sharif failed to fulfil his promise during the tenure of the previous government. Nawaz Sharif, the supreme leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the elder brother of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has been living in self-exile in the United Kingdom since November 2019. Petitioner Azhar Abbas contended that Shehbaz Sharif had filed a "false affidavit" before a two-judge bench of the LHC in November 2019 that he would ensure the return of his elder brother within four weeks if he (Nawaz Sharif) was allowed to go abroad for his treatment. The petitioner said the LHC accepted Shehba

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India to virtually host SCO summit today, Pak PM Shehbaz, Xi to take part

The meeting of the SCO Heads of State will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The major issues that are expected to be on the agenda include terrorism, regional security and prosperity

Pak should break addiction to IMF bailouts, use crisis as an opportunity

The IMF's bailout package - the 23rd for Pakistan since its independence in 1947 - was suspended in November 2022 because the government had not acted on the IMF's conditions for the loan

Pakistan, IMF discussing $2.5 bn on 'short-term standby arrangement'

Cash-strapped Pakistan and the IMF are discussing a new short-term standby arrangement (SBA) worth about USD 2.5 billion to get the country through the political transition to the newly-elected government in the second quarter of the current fiscal year, according to a media report on Wednesday. Pakistan's ninth review by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the 2019 Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for the release of a USD 1.2 billion tranche is still pending with the programme's expiry on June 30. A new short-term six to nine months standby arrangement (SBA) is being discussed by Pakistan and the IMF worth about USD 2.5bn, the remaining part of the EEF expiring on June 30, the Dawn newspaper reported. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday discussed the IMF programme with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and expressed hope that coordination on the points of the bailout programme would lead to a decision from the global lender in a day or two, a statement

Pak PM Sharif asks IMF chief for early release of stalled bailout fund

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a phone call with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday during which he expressed hope that the global lender would announce a decision on the release of the bailout fund within a day or two. Pakistan's ninth review by the International Monetary Fund under the 2019 Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for the release of a USD 1.2 billion tranche is still pending with fewer than 10 days remaining until the programme's expiry on June 30. Sharif discussed the IMF programme with Georgieva and expressed hope that coordination on the points of the bailout program would lead to a decision from the global lender in a day or two, a statement by the PM Office said. Pakistan signed a USD 6.5 billion package with the Washington-based IMF in 2019. The plan was derailed several times and the full reimbursement is still pending due to insistence by the donor that Pakistan should complete all formalities. The prime minister also reiterated his .

IMF chief asks Pak PM to resolve policy differences before getting loan

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has urged Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to resolve policy differences at the global lender's staff level prior to getting a much-needed loan to stabilise the cash-strapped country's economy, according to a media report. Georgieva said this during her meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that took place on Thursday on the sidelines of the New Global Financial Pact summit in Paris, The Express Tribune reported on Thursday. "Prime Minister Sharif met IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva. During the meeting she emphasised and insisted that all the policy matters should be resolved at the IMF staff level," the report said. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) signed a deal in 2019 to provide USD 6 billion to Pakistan on the fulfilment of certain conditions. The plan was derailed several times and the full reimbursement is still pending due to insistence by the donor that Pakistan should complete all formalities. During the meeting, ..

Pakistan enters election mode, poll body starts making arrangements

As per law, the last date of registration, exclusion and verification of voters is July 13

300 Pakistanis dead as boat capsizes in Greece: Here's what happened

Between 400 and 750 people were believed to have been aboard the vessel, when it sank about 80 km off the southern Greek town of Pylos

Shehbaz Sharif asks Nawaz to return Pakistan, become PM for fourth time

It is pertinent to mention that Nawaz Sharif has been in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 owing to health reasons