ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on the opening day of its budget session on Monday witnessed the treasury and the opposition members indulged in a blame-game over the frequent train accidents as the lower house passed 10 bills, most of them in the absence of opposition members. The sitting was marred by noisy protest, frequent walkouts and repeated pointing out of …

ISLAMABAD: While the government continues to make efforts to create awareness among citizens about the need to get vaccinated, around 300,000 recipients of the first dose never returned to receive their second jab of the Covid-19 vaccine. Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), said a call centre …

LAHORE: Minister of Railways Azam Khan Swati accepted responsibility for the train accident at Ghotki on Monday. “Being top official (minister for railways), I take responsibility for this train accident. The other senior officials working under me also take responsibility,” he said when asked whether he would tender resignation from office of the minister being responsible since the PTI , …

PESHAWAR: Elementary and secondary education minister Shahram Tarakai on Monday informed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly that a uniform curriculum had been prepared for primary classes, while the preparation of such curriculum for middle classes was under way. He revealed this while responding to the criticism of the opposition lawmakers, who insisted that the federal government had violating the Constitution by …

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s cricket board said on Tuesday its players have agreed to tour England, even though a contract dispute remains unresolved. The players, including test captain Dimuth Karunaratne and ODI skipper Kusal Perera, had refused to sign new contracts which offer lower base salaries and more performance-based incentives. “The team will go ahead with the tour. All the players …

PESHAWAR: The police on Monday booked the ruling PTI’s member of the provincial assembly, Fazl Elahi, on the complaint of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) for interfering with power distribution to cause a feeder to trip. The FIR against Mr Elahi, who represents the provincial capital’s PK-79 constituency in the assembly, was registered at the Rehman Baba police station. …

BAJAUR: Both the public and private educational institutions reopened in Bajaur tribal district on Monday after the Covid-19 positivity rate dropped below five per cent in the region. The institutions were shut on April 24 due to a surge in coronavirus cases. According to separate statements issued from the district administration and the education department, all the educational institutions across …

KARACHI: The country’s domestic debt has increased by over Rs2 trillion during the current fiscal year (FY21). However, the amount was less than the amount borrowed in the same period of FY20. The latest data issued by the State Bank (SBP) on Monday showed that government’s borrowing has slightly decreased during FY21. Analysts attribute this development to higher foreign exchange …

ISLAMABAD: The real estate sector has warned of a serious setback to investments in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s priority construction sector due to planned inspections of offices of the property dealers, developers and investors by authorities of Designated Non-Financial Business and Professions (DNFBPs). Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Muhammad Ahsan Malik, Vice President, (Punjab) Federation of Realtors (FOR) …

ISLAMABAD: The prices of ghee and edible oil have started to ease in the international markets amid the harvest of fresh palm oil crops in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, the impact is yet to be felt locally while investors are hoarding stocks ahead of the upcoming budget. Key players in the supply chain have accumulated stocks of finished products as …