Pakistan

An accountability court in Islamabad suspended on Friday the arrest warrants of former finance minister and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar in a case pertaining to declaring him a proclaimed offender. In 2017, the court had declared Dar — who is in London — absconder in a corruption reference after he failed to join the trial against him. During the hearing today, the …

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has expressed displeasure to the Sindh government over the unbecoming conduct of police during UN Secretary General António Guterres’ visit to Karachi on Sept 10. In a letter to the Sindh chief secretary, the FO’s Karachi camp office listed police actions during the secretary general’s visit to Karachi that were believed to be inappropriate, and asked for ensuring …

The National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) said on Friday that there was no shortage of food items in the country, adding that wheat stocks were also sufficient amid fears the cataclysmic rains had devastated agricultural crops. In the latest update, the forum said: “A huge stock of wheat for [the] next six months is available along with the strategic reserve …

Senior PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser has said that the party could return to the lower house of parliament if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a date for general elections. The statement comes after Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial suggested the PTI should ask its legislators to return to parliament since voters had elected them for …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that the world’s response to the flood devastation in Pakistan was “commendable” but added that it was far from meeting the country’s needs. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, the premier outlined the challenges the country is facing due to catastrophic flood which have displaced more than 33 million people. “We are among the …

KHYBER: The participants of a peace jirga rejected formation of peace bodies or raising any armed Lashkar to tackle the existing law and order situation in Khyber. Organised under the banner of Bara Siyasi Ittehad on Wednesday, the jirga also opposed any military operation in Tirah where some militant groups had recently resurfaced. The participants of the jirga said that …

LAHORE: PML-N senior vice-president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has served a legal notice on PTI leader Shahbaz Gill for accusing him of receiving kickbacks from an Indian company, and demanded an apology from him. PML-N MPA Rana Mashhood told a press conference here on Wednesday that on July 31, in a presser Gill claimed to have unearthed three financial transactions of Rs140 million, …

ISLAMABAD: In a late night development, talks between representatives of Kissan Ittehad and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah remained successful after which the farmers called off their protest. The farmers were agitating against the increase in utility bills, taxes and urea price. In a press note issued late Wednesday night, negotiations between representatives of Kissan Ittehad and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday disposed of a plea filed by PML-N Senator-elect Muhammad Ishaq Dar, seeking reversal of a trial court order issued on Dec 11, 2017, declaring him a proclaimed offender. An accountability court had declared Mr Dar absconder in a corruption reference after he failed to join the trial against him. Headed by Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, a two-judge bench …

QUETTA: Four malaria-related deaths were reported in the Usta Muhammad area of Jafferabad district on Wednesday as thousands of other people, mostly children, were suffering from malaria, diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases in all the four districts of Nasirabad division. The Commander of 12 Corps, Lt Gen Asif Ghafoor, visited Usta Muhammad along with the chief secretary and other officials …