Pakistan, China sign MoU to promote industrial cooperation

Pakistan and China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has agreed to partner with China-Pakistan International Silk Road Industry Investment Management Company Limited by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate investment in key projects for promotion of industrial cooperation between China and Pakistan and supporting the establishment of special economic zones and other sectors of economy and bilateral trade.

Economic Minister, Aslam Chaudhary, Liu Jiang Hua from China-Pakistan International Silk Road Industry Investment Management Company Limited, Representatives from Dan Zhou Government, Hai Nan Province, Zhang Yu Bo, MCC & Bank of Tianjin witnessed the signing ceremony held at Pakistan Embassy here on Saturday.

The event was also joined virtually by Riaz Hussain, SEVP and Group Chief, International, Financial Institutions and Remittances Group and Hasan Jamal, SVP, Investment Banking Group National Bank of Pakistan, Head Office, Karachi.

Addressing the participants on occasion, Aslam Chaudhary briefed them about the incentives offered by the present government to attract the foreign investment especially from China.

He informed that special economic zones are being established across Pakistan where the Chinese enterprises could relocate their industry and export products to different countries taking advantage of preferential agreements signed by Pakistan with various countries.

The Economic Minister said that Pakistan having a population of over 225 million is itself a big market and the Chinese companies could benefit from it.

He said that the government is focusing the industrialization in the second phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and offering opportunities in various sectors.

He invited the Chinese entrepreneurs to come to Pakistan and avail facilities and incentives for setting up their industrial units.

Aslam Chaudhary opined that the MoU would help the Chinese companies for investment in different projects and promote industrial cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Representative of NBP, Sheikh Muhammad Shariq told the audience that the National Bank of Pakistan is the largest and state-owned bank and amongst the Domestic Systematic Important Bank from Pakistan, operating with 18 overseas branches located in South Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, Western Europe and North America.

He said that NBP is amongst the major lender to the projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and handling large portion of bilateral trade between China and Pakistan.

We also maintain the largest portfolio of Corporate and Investment Banking in Pakistan, he added.

Sheikh Shariq said that the MoU represents a commitment to fostering stronger ties, enhancing financial cooperation, and exploring new opportunities for growth and innovation.

This would also help that NBP will open and operational branch in China to further facilitate bilateral trade and through this partnership, the bank aims to leverage its collective expertise and resources to develop cutting-edge financial solutions, support sustainable economic development, and better serve the two communities, he added.

Honorary Investment Counselor, Board of Investment (BoI), Pakistan, Philip Jian Peng welcomed the distinguished guests and thanked them for their support as the two sides embark on exciting new chapter.

Senior officials, a large number of the representatives of various Chinese companies were present.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/d5fxz2Z

Rangers arrest two robbery suspects in Karachi

KARACHI: The Rangers have arrested two robbery suspects in an operation conducted in Saadi Town Karachi, ARY News reported on Sunday.

As per details, the Rangers’ spokesperson said the suspects identified as Owais and Khalid, are allegedly involved in robbery and looting incidents in the area.

The Rangers recovered a 9mm pistol, bullets, two mobile phones, and cash from the suspects.

According to Rangers spokesperson, the suspects were looting citizens on Link Road, Malir, when they were apprehended by the Rangers.

The suspects have been handed over to the police for further action.

The spokesperson said that the operation was conducted on a tip-off and the suspects were caught red-handed.

READ: Rangers arrest most wanted criminal in Karachi IBO

In a separate operation, Rangers and Police in a coordinated intelligence-based operation, arrested a most wanted suspect from the Sammo Goth area of Karachi.

The suspect, identified as Nasir alias Chipu, was involved in numerous street crimes, the  spokesman said.

During the arrest, authorities recovered a 30-bore pistol and ammunition from his possession.

Nasir also confessed to participating in an attack on a mobile unit in 2021. He has a prior history of imprisonment. Efforts are ongoing to capture his accomplices.

The arrested suspect, along with the seized weapons and ammunition, has been handed over to the police for further legal action.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/hk6Vv4C

LHC moved over defying PM Shehbaz’s directives on petrol prices

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) moved on Saturday over defying Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s directives of massive drop in petrol prices, ARY News reported.

As per details, the petition was filed by Azhar Siddique, challenging the finance ministry’s decision to ignore the Prime Minister’s recommendation to reduce the price of petrol by Rs 15 per liter.

Despite a significant decline in global petroleum prices, the Ministry of Finance only reduced the price by Rs 4.74 per liter, the petition stated.

Siddique urged the court to order Finance Ministry to reduce the petrol prices as per the prime minister’s recommendations.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Ministry of Finance to cut the price of petrol by Rs 15.4 per liter.

The Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in a statement directed the finance minister to further slash the price of petrol by Rs 15.4 per liter and that of diesel by Rs 7.9 per liter.

Read more: Govt slashes petrol price by Rs 4.74 per litre

However, the Finance Ministry reduced the prices of petrol by Rs 4.74 per litre and diesel by Rs 3.86 per litre.

After a reduction of Rs 4.74, the new petrol price were fixed at Rs 268.36 per litre. The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) decreased by Rs 3.86 to Rs 270.94 per litre.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/OFoNZH1

COAS General Asim Munir, Azerbaijan’s FM discuss regional stability

RAWALPINDI: Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Friday (today) and held in-depth discussions on matters of mutual interest, including regional peace and stability.

COAS General Asim Munir emphasized Pakistan’s long-standing fraternal ties with Azerbaijan and reiterated the country’s unwavering commitment to providing comprehensive assistance and cooperation in the spheres of defense and security.

The COAS praised the Azerbaijani Armed Forces for their exemplary professionalism and valor.

The visiting dignitary expressed his sincere appreciation for Pakistan’s steadfast support to Azerbaijan and acknowledged the country’s pivotal role in maintaining regional stability.

Read more: Pakistan, Azerbaijan to bolster cooperation in climate action, energy sector

Azerbaijan’s foreign minister reached Islamabad on Pakistan’s visit on Thursday.

Earlier, Pakistan and Azerbaijan agreed to enhance their multifaceted cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, connectivity, energy and defence, ARY News reported.

The understanding this effect came at delegation level talks between the two countries in Islamabad today.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar led the Pakistani side while the Azeri side by its Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

Later addressing a joint news conference, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the two countries are taking measures to increase bilateral investment especially in the energy sector. He pointed out that the joint working group on energy would be critical in promoting cooperation in this sector. He said we will bolster our cooperation in climate action and renewable energy sector.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/wRU4mxv

Daisy Ridley opens up on her ‘Star Wars’ return

Actor Daisy Ridley says reprising her role as Jedi hero Rey feels ‘exciting and nerve-racking’ as she returns to the ‘Star Wars’ franchise for a new film.

Watch ARY News live on live.arynews.tv

Walt Disney Co., which purchased ‘Star Wars’ producer Lucasfilm in 2012 and released three movies starring Ridley from 2015 to 2019 as well as different TV series, announced new plans for the franchise last year. It said Daisy Ridley’s new film would focus on rebuilding the New Jedi Order.

“I’m very excited, it feels like a new adventure,” Ridley told Reuters at the London premiere of another Disney film, ‘Young Woman and the Sea’, on Wednesday.

“It’s a world that I’m familiar with, I’m coming back to, but also it feels like a new start. So it feels exciting and nerve-racking and I’m excited.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Daisy Ridley (@daisyridley)

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published on Tuesday, Ridley said she had yet to read a script for the ‘Star Wars’ film. “I have not read actual words on actual paper, but [a script] is soon coming,” she told the publication.

In ‘Young Woman and the Sea’ Ridley plays American swimmer Gertrude ‘Trudy’ Ederle, an Olympic gold medalist who became the first woman to swim the English Channel.

In 1926, Ederle set off from northern France for the southern English coast, making the crossing in 14 hours, 31 minutes and beating the men’s world record by one hour and 59 minutes.

Despite a huge celebratory parade in New York on her return, Ederle’s name and accomplishments are not as well known to the general public as those of other sports figures. Ederle died in 2003.

“Playing someone who is determined and resilient … who has a real joy for what they’re doing is wonderful,” Ridley said, adding she had undergone a ‘pretty gruelling’ swimming training schedule for the role.

‘Game of Thrones’ creators reveal plans for their cancelled ‘Star Wars’ film

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/NWBp9io

China hosts Arab leaders at forum aimed at deepening ties

BEIJING: China on Wednesday hosts a litany of Arab dignitaries and diplomats ahead of a forum Beijing hopes will deepen ties with the region and present a “common voice” on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Beijing has sought to build closer ties with Arab states in recent years, and last year brokered a detente between Tehran and its long-time foe Saudi Arabia.

It has also historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

And Beijing last month hosted rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah for “in-depth and candid talks on promoting intra-Palestinian reconciliation”.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as a host of other regional leaders and diplomats, are among the delegates attending the forum.

President Xi Jinping is set to deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony on Thursday, Beijing has said, aimed at building “common consensus” between China and Arab states.

Top of the agenda will be the war between Israel and Hamas, which Xi has called for an “international peace conference” to resolve.

China sees a “strategic opportunity to boost its reputation and standing in the Arab world” by framing its efforts to end that conflict against US inaction, Ahmed Aboudouh, an associate fellow with the Chatham House Middle East and North Africa Programme, told AFP.

“This, in turn, serves Beijing’s focus on undermining the US’s credibility and influence in the region,” he said.

“The longer the war, the easier for China to pursue this objective,” he added.

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with counterparts from Yemen and Sudan in Beijing, saying he hoped to “strengthen solidarity and coordination” with the Arab world.

He also raised China’s concerns over disruptive attacks on Red Sea shipping by Iran-backed Huthi forces acting in solidarity with Hamas with his Yemeni counterpart Shayea Mohsen al-Zindani.

“China calls for an end to the harassment of civilian vessels and to ensure the safety of waterways in the Red Sea,” state news agency Xinhua quoted him as saying.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/bcAJn9p

مردہ والد سے رابطے کے خواہشمند میئر جنھیں ایک نجومی اور ’فرشتوں کی آواز‘ نے جیل کی سلاخوں کے پیچھے پہنچا دیا

سوفیا مارٹینیز نامی نجومی پر الزام ہے کہ انھوں نے میئر سے دھوکہ دہی کے ذریعے پیسے ہتھیا لیے جبکہ میئر گلیز ڈی ٹوری پر کرپشن کرنے کا الزام ہے جس کی وجہ بتائی گئی ہے کہ انھوں نے نجومی خاتون پر ٹیکس ادا کرنے والوں کا بہت پیسہ لٹایا۔

from BBC News اردو https://ift.tt/wuSM0Fh

IMF predicts increase in Pakistan’s trade deficit

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted an increase in Pakistan’s trade deficit.

According to details, the IMF has forecasted that in the next fiscal year, Pakistan’s trade deficit is expected to increase, with estimates of growth in both exports and imports.

The IMF has stated that in the new fiscal year, Pakistan’s trade deficit is likely to increase by $4.165 billion. Pakistan’s imports are estimated to increase by $5.517 billion, while exports are expected to rise by $1.352 billion.

According to the IMF, Pakistan’s trade deficit could increase to $27.923 billion.

The forecast for the new fiscal year predicts the volume of imports to be $60.48 billion, while Pakistan’s exports are estimated to be $32.56 billion in the next fiscal year.

In the current fiscal year, Pakistan’s trade deficit is expected to be $23.76 billion, with imports estimated at $54.96 billion. By the end of the current fiscal year, exports are expected to reach $31.2 billion.

Read more: IMF releases official statement after loan talks with Pakistan

Earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released an official statement following discussions with Pakistan. The statement confirms that Islamabad has formally requested a new loan program from the IMF.

The IMF delegation, led by Mission Chief Nathan Porter, visited Pakistan and held extensive negotiations from May 13 to May 23 to discuss the country’s economic improvements.

The statement highlights that the Pakistani government is making serious efforts to increase revenue and emphasizes the need for fair tax collection from privileged sectors.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/I2Z3LBa

Raoof Hasan claims deal offers are still available to PTI founder

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Raoof Hasan has claimed that deal offers are still available for the former premier.

Talking to ARY News’ program 11th Hour, Raoof Hasan stated that the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could have been released within ten days if he had agreed to a deal.

“Offers for deals are still available to Imran Khan”.

According to Hasan, the PTI founder had an ‘offer’ during his first ten days in Attock. However, the founder does not believe in making deals and gave preference to remaining in jail.

The PTI leader emphasized that the day the PTI founder calls for protest, people will hit the streets in large numbers.

Rauf Hasan asserted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is a party of the people. He conveyed the public’s sentiment, stating that people are urging leaders to leave their offices and take to the streets. The public also warned that they will not forgive any form of compromise.

Read more: PTI’s Raoof Hassan says he agrees with Rana Sanaullah

Last week, the Central Information Secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Raoof Hasan said that he agrees with Rana Sanaullah’s statement, underscoring the importance of collaboration among all political parties in the country.

In a recent episode of ARY News program “Off The Record”, Raoof Hasan expressed optimism about problem-solving, saying “There is always a way, if two individuals are willing to solve the problem.”

He highlighted the significant divide between PTI and JUI-F in the past but noted that both sides are working on Terms of References (TORs) to address issues, indicating a positive shift.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/lmIdDeg

Papua New Guinea reports over 2,000 people buried in landslide

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinea informed the UN on Monday that more than 2,000 people were buried in a massive landslide that swept over a remote village, according to a copy of the letter obtained by AFP.

“The landslide buried more than 2,000 people alive and caused major destruction,” the country’s national disaster centre told the UN office in the capital Port Moresby.

A once-bustling remote hillside village in Enga province was almost wiped out when a chunk of Mount Mungalo collapsed in the early hours of Friday morning, burying scores of homes and the people sleeping inside them.

The landslide caused “major destruction to buildings, food gardens and caused major impact on the economic lifeline of the country”, the disaster office said.

The main highway to Porgera Mine was “completely blocked”, it said in the letter, which was received by UN officials on Monday morning.

“The situation remains unstable as the landslip continue to shift slowly, posing ongoing danger to both the rescue teams and survivors alike.”

The scale of the catastrophe required “immediate and collaborative actions from all players”, it said, including the army, and national and regional responders.

It called on UN to inform Papua New Guinea’s development partners “and other international friends” of the latest situation.

Assistance should be coordinated through the disaster centre, it said.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/szvn2S5

Kandhkot: Five abducted bank employees return home

KANDHKOT: Five employees of a microfinance bank, who had been kidnapped from the Indus Highway last month, have returned to home, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Family members have been happy after return of their abducted relatives, while police said to be unaware of the returned of the kidnapped bank employees.

Families of the victims earlier said that the kidnappers had phoned them and demanded Rs8 million for the release of hostages.

Sources said that the bandits have released abducted persons with involvement of political and tribal influential persons and payment of ransom money.

The relatives of abducted bank employees had earlier, blocked a section of the Indus Highway in Kashmore in protest against police failure to recover their loved ones.

The protesters told media that bandits kidnapped Altaf Ahmad Golo, Alam Golo, Gulab Dahani, Farman Ali Langah and Shahnawaz Naseerani, who were working as recovery men with a microfinance bank and took them to riverine area.

The katcha area (riverine forests) of Sindh, has been a hotbed of criminals, which have recently become bolder to challenge the authorities and commit rampant kidnappings for ransom and killings.

The authorities have yet failed to uproot the criminals posing threat to adjacent areas as well as inter-provincial traffic with other parts of the country.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/qvpi4WE

Thousands flee as cyclone barrels towards Bangladesh

PATUKHALI, Bangladesh: Tens of thousands of Bangladeshis left their coastal villages Sunday for concrete storm shelters further inland as the low-lying nation prepared for the expected landfall of an intense cyclone, officials said.

Cyclone Remal is set to hit the country and parts of neighbouring India on Sunday evening, with Bangladesh’s weather department predicting crashing waves and howling gales with gusts of up to 130 kilometres (81 miles) per hour.

Cyclones have killed hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladesh in recent decades, but the number of superstorms hitting its low-lying, densely populated coast have increased sharply of late — from one a year to as many as three — due to the impact of climate change.

“The cyclone could unleash a storm surge of up to 12 feet (four metres) above normal astronomical tide, which can be dangerous,” senior weather official Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik told AFP.

Authorities have raised the danger signal to its highest level, warning fishermen against going to the sea and triggering an evacuation order for those in vulnerable areas.

“Our plan is to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people from unsafe and vulnerable homes to the cyclone shelters,” the government’s disaster management secretary Kamrul Hasan told AFP.

The authorities have mobilised tens of thousands of volunteers to alert people to the danger.

He said some 4,000 cyclone shelters have been readied along the country’s lengthy coast on the Bay of Bengal.

The state-run Bangladesh Meteorological Department said Cyclone Remal would make landfall Sunday between 6:00 pm and midnight (1200-1800 GMT).

In addition to the villagers and fishermen, many of the multi-storey centres have space to shelter their cattle, buffaloes and goats, as well as their pets.

“Some 78,000 volunteers have been mobilised to alert coastal people and evacuate the vulnerable people,” Hasan said.

Helal Mahmud Sharif, the chief government administrator of Khulna province, told AFP some 20,000 people had been evacuated to shelters in the most vulnerable coastal regions.

Another 15,000 people and about 400 domesticated animals have been evacuated in the coastal Patuakhali and Bhola districts.

On the low-lying Bhashan Char island, which is home to 36,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, 57 cyclone centres have been readied, deputy refugee commissioner Mohammad Rafiqul Haque told AFP.

The country’s three seaports and the airport in the second-largest city Chittagong were closed, officials said.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/7iQVCu3

Rangers, police arrest MQM-London terrorist from Karachi

KARACHI: In a significant breakthrough, the Rangers and District City Police have arrested Hammad Pia, a most wanted terrorist and member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) London group, in a joint operation near Eidgah Karachi, ARY News reported.

As per details, the Rangers spokesperson said that Hammad Pia, who was involved in target killings, extortion, and other crimes in Karachi since 1994, was also involved in the killing of police officers and had confessed to his crimes.

He was a notorious criminal who had been evading arrest since 2014 and had been hiding in various cities, including Sukkur, Peshawar, and Islamabad.

According to the Rangers spokesperson, MQM-London terrorist was involved in various crimes, including bank robberies, jewelry shop robberies, and extortion. He had also been involved in the killing of political opponents.

The spokesperson added that 11 FIRs had been registered against Hammad Pia in different police stations, and that his accomplices were being pursued and would be brought to justice soon.

Hammad Pia had been supplying weapons to MQM London and Lyari Gang War, and had provided thousands of rounds of ammunition and dozens of Kalashnikovs and LMGs. He had also been involved in the looting of valuable goods and containers.

The Rangers spokesperson said that Hammad Pia had been handed over to the police for further legal action.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/0XFkPcy

IMF calls for reforms in Pakistan’s energy sector as Porter-led mission concludes talks

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called for reforms in Pakistan’s energy sector to improve the economy.

An IMF team, led by mission chief Nathan Porter, concluded discussions with the authorities on Thursday after arriving in Pakistan on May 13, the lender said in a statement.

“The mission and the authorities will continue policy discussions virtually over the coming days aiming to finalise discussions, including the financial support needed to underpin the authorities’ reform efforts from the IMF and Pakistan’s bilateral and multilateral partners,” Porter said.

“Continue progress towards low and stable inflation by appropriate monetary and exchange rate policies; improve public service provision through state-owned enterprise (SOE) restructuring and privatization; and promote private sector development, by securing a level-playing field for investment and stronger governance.”

Read more: IMF ‘wants’ Pakistan to increase GST to 18pc

The IMF has opened discussions with Pakistan on a new loan programme after Islamabad last month completed a short-term $3 billion programme, which helped stave off a sovereign debt default.

Pakistan is likely to seek at least $6 billion under the new programme and request additional financing from the IMF under the Resilience and Sustainability Trust.

Ahead of the discussions, the IMF had warned that downside risks for the Pakistani economy remained exceptionally high.

“The authorities’ reform program aims to move Pakistan from economic stabilization to strong, inclusive, and resilient growth,” Porter added.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/oUEHNu1

Karachi: New schedule for inter exams announced

KARACHI: The Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi (BIEK) Thursday released a new schedule for the intermediate exams, ARY News reported.

As per the schedule, inter-exams will start from June 1 and last until July 1.

Overall 290,000 students will appear in the inter-exams, adding that science group papers will be held in the morning while general group students will appear for the exams in evening.

All exams of science group will start at 9 am till 12pm, while the timing of general group exams are 2pm to 5pm, the notification read.

Read More: Inter exams to be held from This date in Karachi

The new schedule comes a day after the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi (BIEK) Chairman Prof Nasim Ahmed Memon had said that the exams will start from June 1.

In a statement, he said that the intermediate exams will take place from June 1 as it is not possible to hold them from May 28.

The BIEK chairman said that it was not possible to hold matric and intermediate exams in the same centres at the same time.

Memon said that the board has sought permission from the education minister to extend the exams for four days. He said that the inter exams were to be held in the centres in morning while matric exams were scheduled for the evening.

Earlier, the Sindh government postponed the intermediate exams across the province for five days in the wake of ongoing heatwave.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/qtBVbAT

Richa Chadha breaks silence on her ’99 retakes’ scene from ‘Heeramandi’

Bollywood actor Richa Chadha aka Lajjo revealed the scene in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, for which she gave 99 retakes.

Watch ARY News live on live.arynews.tv

For the unversed, Richa Chadha, who essayed Lajjo in Bhansali’s much-anticipated series, revealed in an earlier interview, that she was about to ‘hit a century’ with her number of retakes for a scene in ‘Heeramandi’, and gave around 99 retakes.

Since then, viewers have been speculating that the shot in discussion can possibly be her emotional dance sequence from the song ‘Masoom Dil Hai Mera’.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shikha Yadav (@shizu_v05)

However, the ‘Fukrey’ star has now clarified that the particular scene did not make it to the final cut of the series.

Taking to her Instagram stories, Chadha confirmed, “Let me try to explain this last time. The shot I needed 99 takes for has not been used in the show lol.”

“It wasn’t a good take. I probably sucked that day. Bass. Samajh jao yaaron (That’s it, now you all should know),” she added. Notably, Bhansali’s much-awaited digital debut ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, about the courtesans living in the red-light district of Lahore, premiered on the streaming giant Netflix earlier this month.

The eight-episodic web series, co-starring Chadha with Aditi Rao Hydari, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharmin Segal, Manisha Koirala and Sanjeeda Sheikh in main roles, along with Farida Jalal, Fardeen Khan, Shekhar and Adhyayan Suman, and Taha Shah, received mixed reviews from viewers and critics alike.

‘Character had a lot of scope but…’: Sharmin Segal’s ‘Heeramandi’ co-star agrees with criticism

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/fKqCbaA

OGRA bans sale, purchase of substandard LPG cylinders

LAHORE: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has banned the sale and purchase of substandard LPG cylinders across Pakistan, ARY News reported.

In a notification issued by the OGRA, the body termed refilling of substandard LPGO cylinders as dangerous, notices were issued to the 313 LPG marketing and 19 cylinder-producing companies.

The OGRA has warned the LPG marketing companies of selling LPG to unauthorized distributors. According to the notification, the new SOPs have been formed for LPG business as from now onwards only authorized distributors can sell and purchase the LPG.

The notification further stated that the decision has been taken in the wake of increasing incidents of cylinder blasts as the body is trying to save the lives and the business.

On May 3, the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were slashed by Rs 20 per kilogram in Quetta.

According to sources, the LPG rates are reduced by Rs 20 taking the price from Rs 280 to Rs 260 per kilogram.

Its worth mentioning here that the LPG prices dropped earlier by Rs 20 per kilogram taking the total reduction to Rs 40 per kg in the span of few weeks.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/4gOrhjl

Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz okays construction of two women jails

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday approved the construction of two new women’s jails in the province, ARY News reported.

The nod was given by Maryam Nawaz while chairing a meeting to review jail reforms. The meeting was attended by Punjab’s senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Information Minister Azma Bukhari and others.

The chief minister while summoning a detailed report on reforms in jails, ordered to construction of two new women’s jails in Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.

She directed to choose sites for the new jails outside the cities. During the meeting, Maryam Nawaz expressed concern about the contacts of incarcerated criminals outside the jails.

She asked the authorities to ensure foolproof cyber security arrangments for jails.

Read more: Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz launches ‘Clinics on Wheels’ project

Separately, the leader of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Aun Chaudhary called on the Punjab CM Wednesday in which ongoing development projects and political issues in Lahore were discussed.

Aun Chaudhary appreciated the special interest of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz in the development projects of Lahore.

During the meeting, the chief minister said that the Lahore revamping development project has been started by establishing a model central park in Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Avenue One. After the completion of the development project, no road in Lahore will remain damaged or broken.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/hV0MINw

Greek trial of one of worst migrant tragedies opens

KALAMATA, Greece: The trial of nine accused smugglers opens on Tuesday, nearly a year after a derelict migrant trawler with hundreds on board including nearly 350 Pakistanis sank off the coast of Greece in one of Europe’s deadliest shipwrecks.

Nine Egyptian men — who were among the 104 survivors — will appear before a court in Kalamata, southwestern Greece, to answer charges including negligent homicide, participation in a criminal organisation and facilitating illegal entry into the country.

The men, aged 21 to 37 years old, have denied responsibility.

Their lawyers say they are being scapegoated to obscure the responsibilities of the Greek coastguard, which failed to mount an effective rescue.

The suspects, who have spent the past 11 months in pre-trial detention, face life imprisonment if convicted.

As the sinking occurred in international waters, 47 nautical miles (87 kilometres) off the coast of Pylos, lawyers for the defendants say a Greek court is not competent to hear the case.

The defence team also claims major procedural violations were committed in the investigation that led to the trial.

They say their clients were arrested barely 24 hours after surviving the sinking, and on the basis of just nine testimonies, some of it collected without adequate translation.

Some survivors subsequently claimed to have come under pressure from Greek police to “designate” suspects, based on blurry photographs, she added.

The sinking of the rusty and overloaded trawler Adriana on the night of June 13 to 14, 2023 off the coast of Greece, has left many unanswered questions as to whether the tragedy could have been averted.

The boat had set sail from Libya and was heading for Italy. Only 82 bodies were found while according to the UN, more than 750 people were on board, including Syrians, Palestinians and nearly 350 Pakistanis, according to the Pakistani government.

Ahead of the trial, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has noted that a parallel investigation into the Greek authorities’ actions is still at a preliminary stage — meaning the court will have incomplete information in assessing the culpability of the defendants.

“There’s a real risk that these nine survivors could be found ‘guilty’ on the basis of incomplete and questionable evidence,” Judith Sunderland, HRW associate Europe and Central Asia director said in a statement.

“Credible and meaningful accountability for one of the worst shipwrecks in the Mediterranean needs to include a determination of any liabilities of Greek authorities,” she added.

Several migrant support groups and media outlets have said that the Greek coastguard was slow to intervene and then gave only a trickle of information on the circumstances of the tragedy.

The NGO Alarm Phone and the EU’s border agency Frontex had both reported the trawler’s presence to Greek authorities while it was in the Greek search and rescue zone.

‘Refused help’

The coastguard had insisted that it communicated with persons on board who “refused any help”.

“You cannot divert a boat with so many people on board by force unless there is cooperation,” coastguard spokesman Nikolaos Alexiou had said at the time.

In contrast, survivors said the coastguard had wanted to tow the overloaded trawler.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose country is accused by rights groups of practising illegal pushbacks at its border with Turkey, later dismissed claims against the port authorities as “very unfair”.

An investigation by a naval court into the possible responsibilities of the coastguards is underway. But requests for access to the file have all been refused, the defence lawyers said.

In September, around fifty survivors filed a group lawsuit against the coastguard.

For migrant rights proponents, the trial is part of a longstanding practice of criminalising asylum seekers.

According to the NGO Borderline Europe, Greek prisons hold around 2,000 migrants accused of being smugglers, constituting the second largest group in Greece’s prison population.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/WitPHYX

Selena Gomez relieved with focus on ‘Emilia Perez’, not her personal life

Selena Gomez said that she was relieved focus had shifted to her role in the new Mexican cartel musical ‘Emilia Perez’ rather than her personal life, the singer told Reuters on Sunday.

Watch ARY News live on live.arynews.tv 

“It’s a relief. I’d rather somebody say I did a terrible job than talk about my personal life. So, I feel very proud,” Gomez said at the Cannes Film Festival a day after the premiere of the film, which received a standing ovation for nine minutes.

The former Disney star added that she made up just a small part of the ‘incredible masterpiece’ that is ‘Emilia Perez’, which also stars Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofia Gascon.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez)

The film directed by Jacques Audiard, about a Mexican drug lord who transitions from male to female and starts a nonprofit dedicated to finding the bodies of disappeared people, is in the running for the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or.

Gomez, who also co-stars with Steve Martin and Martin Short in the Hulu streaming series ‘Only Murders in the Building’, is the most-followed woman on Instagram with 428 million followers.

Such a large following puts her life under intense public scrutiny and generates headlines that speculate about her personal relationships as well as her mental and physical health.

The singer who has posted candidly about having lupus and bipolar disorder told broadcaster NBC’s ‘Today’ show this month that she has decided to limit comments on her account to only friends as a way to set boundaries.

Selena Gomez in tears after receiving longest standing ovation at Cannes

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/07IaD5c

Gaza hospital says 20 killed in Israeli strike on Nuseirat

GAZA: A Gaza hospital said Sunday that an Israeli air strike targeting a house at a refugee camp in the centre of the Palestinian territory killed at least 20 people.

“We received 20 fatalities and several wounded after an Israeli air strike targeted a house belonging to the Hassan family in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza,” the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said in a statement.

Witnesses said the strike occurred around 3:00 am local time. The Israeli army said it was checking the report.

Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported that the wounded included several children, and rescuers were searching for missing people trapped under the rubble.

Fierce battles and heavy Israeli bombardments have been reported in the central Nuseirat camp since the military launched a “targeted” operation focussing on the southern city of Rafah in early May.

Palestinian militants and Israeli troops have also clashed in north Gaza’s Jabalia camp for days now.

Witnesses said several other houses were targeted in air strikes during the night across Gaza, and that air strikes and artillery shelling also hit parts of Rafah during the night.

The Israeli military said two more soldiers were killed in Gaza the previous day.

The military said 282 soldiers have been killed so far in the Gaza military campaign since the start of the ground offensive on October 27.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/ABoLGDt

انڈیا میں لا کالج کے مسلم پرنسپل جن پر ’ہندو مخالف‘ اور ’ملک دشمن‘ ہونے کے الزامات غلط ثابت ہوئے

انڈیا کی سپریم کورٹ نے ایک لا کالج کے پرنسپل ڈاکٹر انعام الرحمان پر لگنے والے ’ہندو مخالف‘ اور ’ملک دشمن‘ جیسے الزامات کو ’غیر مناسب‘ قرار دیتے ہوئے ان کے خلاف مقدمہ خارج کیا ہے۔ انعام الرحمان کے مطابق انھوں نے دباؤ میں آ کر استعفیٰ دیا تھا۔ ’پوری زندگی بچوں کو پڑھانے میں لگائی، آخر میں یہ نتیجہ ملا۔‘

from BBC News اردو https://ift.tt/C1sOuMz

Complaint filed with NAB seeking probe into wheat scandal

ISLAMABAD: A complaint seeking inquiry into the wheat scandal has been filed with the National Accountability Bureau, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Azhar Siddique Advocate has referred ARY News reports in his complaint to the NAB.

According to the complaint former caretaker food security minister in an interview with the ARY News made disclosures about the wheat scandal.

Dr. Kausar Abdullah Malik disclosed that the wheat was imported when four million tonnes of the grain was already in stock, the complainant said.

Dr Kausar Abdullah said that Captain (retd) Mohammad Mehmood was the secretary food security at the time of the wheat import, the complaint read.

“The country suffered Rs. 300 billion losses owing to unnecessary wheat import,” according to the complaint to NAB.

The complainant has hold the PASSCO, Food Department Punjab, the ministries of commerce and finance responsible for the loss.

The complainant has requested to the accountability bureau for an immediate investigation of the matter and action against those involved in the scandal.

The copies of the complaint have also been forwarded to the President, Prime Minister, registrars of the Supreme Court and the Lahore High Court.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/I7JBWw8

‘Heeramandi’ actor Taha Shah breaks silence on Fawad Khan comparison

The current internet sensation Taha Shah, of ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ opened up on being compared with A-list actors Fawad Khan and Vicky Kaushal.

Watch ARY News live on live.arynews.tv

In a new interview, ‘Heeramandi’ actor Taha Shah spoke about being compared with the national heartthrobs and great performers Vicky Kaushal and Fawad Khan, after his latest outing as Tajdar.

Reacting to the comparisons, Shah said, “I don’t know about the looks but I think performance-wise, they’re both great actors.”

He continued, “For me, looks don’t matter. For me, the performance matters. So if they’re comparing me to Fawad or they’re comparing me to Vicky – girls are comparing me [in terms of romance] to Shahrukh – what else do you want, man? They’re not comparing me to somebody else. They’re comparing me to the elite actors. These are elite actors.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood)

“And Vicky is my brother. He was my senior in Kishore Namit Kapoor [acting institute]. We’re good friends. And, of course, he’s seen me grow, I’ve seen him grow,” he added. “And even at Kishore Namit Kapoor, Vicky was a great actor. And in my class, I was the top actor.”

Notably, Taha Shah essayed Nawab Tajdar Baloch in SLB’s much-awaited web series ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, about the courtesans living in the red light district of Lahore.

The eight-episodic series, starring Sonakshi Sinha, Sharmin Segal, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Manisha Koirala and Sanjeeda Sheikh in main roles, along with Shah, Farida Jalal, Fardeen Khan, Shekhar and Adhyayan Suman premiered on the streaming giant Netflix earlier this month.

‘He messaged…’: Yashma Gill’s chat with ‘Heeramandi’ actor Taha Shah goes viral!

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/CPJwF84

Brazil declared host of Women’s World Cup 2027

Brazil was declared the host of the 2027 Women’s World Cup after receiving most votes in a ballot by the FIFA Congress on Friday, beating the joint bid of Belgium, Netherlands and Germany.

Brazil received the backing of 119 member associations in the electronic vote compared to 78 votes for the joint European bid.

The Brazilian bid prevailed against the submission from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, with an open vote at the FIFA Congress determining the hosts for the first time in the tournament’s history.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 will build on the success of the record-breaking 2023 event that took place in Australia and New Zealand.

It will be the tenth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, with China PR, Sweden, the USA, Germany, Canada and France all having hosted on at least one occasion prior to the 2023 event.

Spain are the current FIFA Women’s World Cup holders, joining USA (four titles), Germany (two), Japan and Norway as the nations who have lifted the much-coveted trophy.

Spain were crowned as the new FIFA Women’s World Cup champions beating England 1-0 in the final, with all the tournament’s previous winners having been eliminated before the tournament reached the semi-finals.

Four-time victors USA saw their hopes of a third successive triumph ended in the round of 16 following a dramatic penalty shootout defeat by Sweden.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/IrvU2Bn

Pakistan sends seventh tranche of humanitarian aid for Gaza

Pakistan on Thursday delivered its seventh consignment of humanitarian aid to the Egyptian Red Crescent, destined for onward distribution to Palestinians in Gaza.

The shipment, which arrived at Port Said, includes essential food, medicine, hygiene kits, blankets, and tents. This brings the total humanitarian assistance delivered by Pakistan to Gaza to 680 tons.

“Pakistan stands in complete solidarity with the people of Gaza and will continue to provide them with essentially required humanitarian assistance in coming days,” said the Embassy of Pakistan in Cairo.

Israeli troops shot and killed three men during clashes in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said early Thursday.

Several others were injured during the confrontation between Israeli forces and Palestinian activists in the town of Tulkarm in the northwest of the territory, the Palestinian Authority’s health ministry told AFP.

“3 martyrs shot by the occupation forces in Tulkarm,” the ministry said.

It identified those killed as Ayman Ahmad Mubarak, 26, Husam Imad Daabas, 22 and Mohammed Yusif Nasrallah, 27.

According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the three men were killed during an Israeli raid on the town shortly after midnight.

Earlier in the day, the health ministry said Israeli troops killed a young man at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Ramallah shortly after the annual march marking the Nakba, or “catastrophe” of 1948.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/XkeroiB

Govt to expedite conversion of tube wells on solar energy

ISLAMABAD: Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has affirmed to expedite the conversion of agricultural tube wells to solar energy in Balochistan.

The minister said this while chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad to discuss issues of agriculture and electricity sector impeding the well-being of people in Balochistan.

The planning minister assured that all resources are being utilized to ensure the timely completion of federal development projects in Balochistan.

Balochistan Chief Minister Safraz Bugti, who also attended the meeting, also discussed the severe difficulties faced by farmers as a result of electricity shortage in the province.

Highlighting the need to adopt alternative energy sources to ensure electricity supply, the chief minister suggested that solar energy harvesting and solar tube wells can improve agriculture sector.

Safraz Bugti further assured that the provincial government is aware of its responsibility to remove hurdles facing farmers in the province. He added that stopping electricity theft is a joint and the Balochistan Government will ensure measures against this menace.

Ahsan Iqbal advised Power Division and the Provincial Government of Balochistan to prepare a road map and strategy for the transfer of underground tube wells to solar energy and implement it soon.

Moreover, he instructed the key officials to start an awareness campaign to educate the public on electricity theft.

Instructing relevant departments to take strict measures against people involved in electricity theft, the Minister said electricity theft and non-payment of bills are major causes of load shedding.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/PRQJXc2

Celebrities face digital backlash over Gaza silence

Celebrities who have remained silent on the crisis in Gaza are feeling the wrath of angry fans wielding the ‘digital guillotine’ to block them on social media and streaming platforms.

Watch ARY News live on live.arynews.tv

Taylor Swift, Drake and many more have become targets of the ‘Block Out 2024’ movement, which began on TikTok in response to the perceived disconnect between the glamorous Met Gala and the grim realities of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

For months, pro-Palestinian activists have flooded the comments sections of social media sites, urging stars to join calls for a ceasefire in Gaza’s deadliest war.

But matters came to a head after last week’s Met Gala, a glitzy fundraiser and the biggest night in fashion featuring A-list stars from screen, stage, sports and the world’s runways.

Dressed in an extravagant gown, influencer Haley Kalil posted on TikTok lip-synching “Let them eat cake” — a phrase notoriously associated with Marie Antoinette that symbolizes the callous disregard of 18th-century French aristocrats towards the poor.

Fellow TikToker ladyfromtheoutside, who started the movement, responded: “It’s time for the people to conduct what I want to call a digital guillotine, a digitine, if you will,” referring to the execution apparatus used during the French Revolution.

“Take our views away, our likes, our comments, our money,” she urged.

Her message was taken up as a rallying cry for the pro-Palestinian movement, and early signs suggest the boycott may be having an impact.

Some impact, but for how long?

Reality star Kim Kardashian — who attended the ball in New York — has lost hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers in recent days, according to analytics site Social Blade.

Global music superstar Taylor Swift, who opted to focus on her Eras Tour rather than appear at the event, has also seen a decline of more than 200,000 followers since last Thursday.

“This is about lives and justice — if she can rally all of us to vote, she has the power to speak up about injustice,” said a TikToker who described herself as a ‘Palestinian Swiftie’ and said it was time to block, unfollow and stop streaming her idol.

It’s uncertain whether the movement is directly responsible for the social media hits seen by some celebrities, or if other trends are at play.

Moreover, the losses could be short-lived, Natasha Lindstaedt, a University of Essex professor who has studied celebrity activism, told AFP.

“Sometimes people make a decision based on an emotional response to an issue and decide that if a celebrity isn’t on the same side… they don’t want to follow them anymore, but that takes a second,” she says.

This phenomenon is known in academic circles as ‘slacktivism’ — substituting low-stakes online actions like posting memes or liking posts, or choosing to unfollow a favourite star — for meaningful political engagement.

Instead of responding, celebrities might find it wiser to wait out the backlash, especially given the sensitive nature of the Gaza conflict, which has proven perilous for many stars.

Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon was dropped by her talent agency UTA after speaking at a pro-Palestine rally in November.

More recently, Jerry Seinfeld, long the model of an apolitical celebrity, has faced criticism for affiliating himself more closely with Israel.

That backlash against the Jewish comedian intensified after a report said his wife Jessica donated to a group of pro-Israel counter-protesters at UCLA, where violence broke out against pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

She later wrote on Instagram that she supported a peaceful rally days earlier and did not support or contribute to any violent actions.

One-way relationships

According to David Jackson, a professor at Bowling Green State University who has studied how the political positions taken by stars affect their approval ratings, told AFP “There’s a history of celebrity involvement in politics that goes back a hundred years or more in the US.”

But with the advent of social media, it’s become easier for people to develop “parasocial” relationships with stars — essentially one-way connections that feel reciprocal.

“You have your network of people you follow, and some of them are people you know, and some of them are celebrities, and the boundaries, I suppose, can be blurred,” Jackson said.

That false sense of closeness makes the feeling of betrayal all the more acute when celebrities take a position you disapprove of or don’t take any position at all.

Even appearing to respond to fan demands can be risky.

When rapper Lizzo promoted a fundraiser to aid a Gazan doctor and his family in leaving the besieged Palestinian territory, she was criticized by many for her perceived opportunism.

First international UN staff member killed in Gaza attack

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/7Yuh12l

انڈین انتخابات، پاکستان اور نریندر مودی: ’اگر پاکستان نے چوڑیاں نہیں پہن رکھیں، تو پہنا دیں گے‘

’کہتے ہیں کہ پاکستان نے چوڑیاں نہیں پہنی ہیں۔ ارے بھائی پہنا دیں گے۔ اب اُن کو آٹا بھی چاہیے، اُن کے پاس بجلی بھی نہیں ہے۔ اب ہمیں معلوم نہیں ہے کہ اُن کے پاس چوڑیاں بھی نہیں ہیں۔‘

from BBC News اردو https://ift.tt/JlgcxO7

Anwarul Haq Kakar dismisses allegations in wheat import scandal

KARACHI: Former caretaker prime minister (PM) and incumbent Senator, Anwarul Haq Kakar downplayed the wheat import scandal as a ‘storm in a teacup’.

“As time passes, people understand that there is neither a wheat crisis nor is this any scandal, an attempt has been made to create a storm in a teacup, there has been a big difference in production and demand targets in the country over the past twelve years,” Anwarul Haq Kakar said exclusively talking to ARY News.

Kakar questioned what kind of wheat scandal it is in which the commodity is becoming cheaper instead of becoming expensive.

The former caretaker prime minister said that in 2019, there was permission to import wheat under the import bill order, during the tenure of the previous government, we did not give permission to the private sector to import additional wheat, private importers imported wheat to fulfill market demand principles of supply and demand, he added.

Read more: PPP’s Nayyar Bukhari demands NAB inquiry into wheat import scam

He said that this SRO for the import of wheat was released by the PTI government, how can corruption allegations be leveled against us?

Responding to a question, Anwarul Haq Kakar said that no offer of any position had been made to him by the government, this is just media speculation.

“I, Mohsin Naqvi, and Faisal Vawda are independent members in the Senate. Our mandate has been given by our provincial members, we are representatives of the federation, neither our voter is hidden, nor the voter is unknown, nor the agenda is unknown”.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/lknqSg1

FY2024-25 budget to be ‘presented’ on THIS date

ISLAMABAD: The federal budget for the next fiscal year (FY2024-25) is likely to be presented on June 7, with an estimated total expenditure of Rs 16,700 billion, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to sources, the initial estimate for expenditures on interest and loans is Rs 9,700 billion, while the initial estimate for subsidies is Rs 1,500 billion.

Sources said that the estimate for tax revenue is over Rs 11,000 billion, with direct taxes expected to contribute Rs 5,300 billion and federal excise duty expected to contribute Rs 680 billion.

Sales tax is likely to generate over Rs 3,850 billion, while customs duty is expected to generate over Rs 1,100 billion, sources said.

The initial estimate for non-tax revenue is Rs 2,100 billion, with petroleum levy expected to generate Rs 1,100 billion. The federal budget deficit is expected to be around Rs 9,300 billion, sources added.

Earlier, sources said that Pakistan government will likely end tax exemptions in the FY2024-25 budget on IMF’s demand.

The government is also considering imposing a sales tax on tractors and pesticides, potentially leading to price hikes for these essential agricultural products.

Currently, under the Sixth Schedule of the Sales Tax Act, pesticides and their active ingredients registered by the Department of Plant Protection are exempt from sales tax.

Tractors, including road tractors for semi-trailers, are also zero-rated for sales tax. However, budget planners are discussing the removal of these exemptions and introducing a lower rate of sales tax on both tractors and pesticides in the upcoming fiscal year.

READ: Pakistan likely to end sales, income tax exemptions in FY2024-25 budget

This could significantly impact farmers, increasing the cost of agricultural equipment and pesticides and potentially leading to a considerable burden on those who rely on these products.

Commercial importers are likely to be slapped with withhold tax in the upcoming budget, which is expected to generate Rs30bln additional in taxes.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged Islamabad for “strong cost-side reforms” for restoring the viability of Pakistan’s energy sector.

from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/8TeJU3B