ISLAMABAD: Judicial remand of former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was extende by Accountability Court till February 21 in liquefied natural gas (LNG) case
on Tuesday.
During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also submitted report on accused Shahid Islam in the court.
Earlier, Islamabad High Court (IHC) had sought reply from the anti-corruption watchdog on bail pleas of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal.
On September 10, 2018, the apex court had directed the NAB to complete inquiry against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others for the alleged corruption in the LNG contract.
As the minister for petroleum and natural resources, Abbasi has been accused of granting contract on LNG to favourite company.
In June 2018, the NAB approved inquiry against former premier Nawaz Sharif and Abbasi, who was the former minister for petroleum and natural resources at that time.
It was also observed that this contract had allegedly caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. In January, the NAB interrogated former finance minister Miftah Ismail in the same case. Abbasi was taken into custody on July 18, 2019.
KARACHI: Another flight of China Air, with 39 passengers on board, landed at the Karachi airport on late Monday night. Coronavirus is yet to pacify as death toll is at rise besides number of infections is also at rise.
According to sources, all the passengers underwent scanning and another test in China before the flight. The airport manager at the Karachi airport said that the screening of the passengers was completed on their arrival.
Earlier, a private airlines’ flight QR 632, carrying 40 Pakistani students stranded in China due to coronavirus, has reached Islamabad after temporary suspension of flight operation to the neighboring country.
According to details, the students were allowed to go to their homes following complete medical checkup.
It is to be mentioned here that the first direct flight landed in Islamabad from China brought back 61 Pakistanis.
The authorities told that a total of 183 people including 11 Chinese have arrived in Pakistan on different flights.
On Friday, Pakistan had halted flights to and from China with immediate effect, a civil aviation official said, as the death toll from a virus outbreak spreading in China mounted and the World Health Organization called it a global health emergency.
ISLAMABAD: Forty Pakistani students were among 183 people returned from China on Monday.
A private airlines’ flight QR 632, carrying 40 Pakistani students, who were stranded in China due to coronavirus outbreak, reached Islamabad on Monday after temporary suspension of flight operation to the neighboring country.
These students were allowed to go to their homes following complete medical checkup.
It is to be mentioned here that the first direct flight landed in Islamabad from China were having 61 Pakistanis.
The authorities told that a total of 183 people including 11 Chinese have arrived in Pakistan on different flights.
On Friday, Pakistan had halted flights to and from China with immediate effect, a civil aviation official said, as the death toll from a virus outbreak spreading in China mounted and the World Health Organization called it a global health emergency.
Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza said Pakistan was fully capable of diagnosing coronavirus after China sent approximately 1,000 kits to Pakistan to detect the deadly disease.
On the other hand, China’s death toll from the coronavirus epidemic further increased on Monday, with deepening global concern about the outbreak and governments closing their borders to people from China.
The fresh toll came a day after China imposed a lockdown on a major city far from the epicentre and the first fatality outside the country was reported in the Philippines.
Authorities in Hubei, the province at the epicenter of the outbreak, reported 56 new fatalities, with one reported in the southwestern megalopolis of Chongqing. That took the toll in China to 361, exceeding the 349 mainland fatalities from the 2002-3 SARS outbreak.
ISLAMABAD: No Pakistani will be allowed to travel back to the country from China till they complete a 14-day observation period.
This announcement was made by Dr Zafar Mirza, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health here on Saturday while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
He said that the agreement in this regard had been finalized in a meeting held with the Chinese envoy in Pakistan. However, the official informed reporters that further details of the agreement are still being worked out.
Mirza shared that the policy is being implemented after China declared that no Chinese citizen will be allowed to travel abroad till the completion of the 14-day observation period. “Those declared free of the virus after the period will be issued with a certificate that assures the airport officials that they are free from the disease,” Mirza said.
“Through this one measure we have ensured Pakistan remains free from the disease. Because our case definition says that travelling and staying in China is an important factor [behind the spread of the disease],” said the SAPM.
Dr Mirza stated that If Pakistan was able to control the disease in Pakistanis present in China, then it has secured the country from the disease, according to the information that doctors have at this point.
Dr Mirza also shared with the reporters that the country will soon receive the health kits which would allow the country to detect the virus. “From tomorrow or today we will start carrying out tests to determine the coronavirus,” said Dr Mirza.
ISLAMABAD: Price hike and devaluation of rupee forced the Parliamentarian to stand for increase in their salaries and some members of the parliament have submitted a draft bill in the Senate Secretariat to increase the salary of the Senate chairman, the deputy chairman, the National Assembly speaker, and the deputy speaker, by up to 400 per cent.
The bill also includes a proposal to raise the salary of the members of the National Assembly by 100 per cent keeping in view the price hike, besides seeking an upward revision in the traveling allowance for all lawmakers and their families. The raise has been proposed in light of “price hike and devaluation of the rupee”.
The price hike, according to the statement of objects and reasons outlined in the bill, has affected the Senate chairman, the NA speaker, the Senate deputy chairman, and the NA deputy speaker, are all members of the parliament “alongside the general public”.
How much will lawmakers make if bill is passed?
A copy of the bill, which the Senate Secretariat has already referred to the ministries of parliamentary affairs and finance for their input, seeks amendment to Chairman and Speaker (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act 1975 to increase the existing salary of Senate chairman and NA speaker from Rs250,000 to 870,000, which is equivalent to basic pay of a judge of the Supreme Court.
The bill also recommends an amendment to the Deputy Chairman and Deputy Speaker (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act 1975 to increase the salary of the Senate Deputy Chairman and NA Deputy Speaker from existing Rs185,000 to Rs829,000, which is equivalent to basic pay of the judge of the Islamabad High Court.
The draft bill also recommends an amendment to the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act 1974 to increase the salaries of Senators and MNAs from the existing Rs150,000 to Rs300,000.
Proposed changes to other perks enjoyed by MPs
Additionally, the draft amendment to the existing statutes seeks to allow each MP the entitlement to 20 business class open return air tickets from the airport nearest to their constituency to Islamabad. The bill says that the spouse and children – up to 18 years of age of the Senator/MNA – can also utilise these tickets for traveling within the country.
The bill also includes the provision that the traveling allowance allowed to lawmakers in respect of a journey between two stations shall be admissible on the basis of the shortest of the practicable routes between those stations.
It adds that, “a member who performs a journey between the place where a session or meeting of a committee is held or other business connected with his duties as a member is transacted and a place which is not his usual place of residence may draw travelling allowance for a journey between the place where the session or meeting is held or other business is transacted and his usual place of residence”.
Who will table the bill?
According to a letter penned by the Senate Secretariat to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on 28th January, Senators Naseebullah Bazai (independent member from Balochistan), Sajjad Hussain Turi (independent from erstwhile Fata), Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasir (PML-N), Dilawar Khan (independent, KP), Dr Ashok Kumar (National Party, Balochistan) and Shammim Afridi (independent, erstwhile Fata) “have given notice of their intention to introduce the subject cited in the bill in the Senate”.
The statement of objects and reasons, as mentioned in the bill, states that it has been felt that no substantial increase in the salaries of parliamentarians has been made so far. Resultantly, the salaries drawn by Chairman or Speaker, Deputy Chairman or Deputy Speaker and MNAs and Senators are not sufficient to meet their daily expenditures.
Committee recommends salary raise for government employees
The Secretaries Committee, which is the highest forum for bureaucrats, has asked the government to give employees from Grade 1 to 22 of the Federal Secretariat a 120 per cent raise in salary, reported The News on Saturday.
The publication also reported that the panel has recommended an increase in the executive allowance for federal secretaries and additional secretaries that may be deputed to other divisions and ministries from January 1 of this year.
According to the publication, the recommendations were made in a committee meeting held on January 23 of last month. The committee has also asked the Finance Division to process cases in this regard.
During the meeting, Additional Secretary Finance Sohail Rajpoot briefed the committee regarding the salary differences of provincial and federal secretariats as the finance secretary could not attend the meeting, said the newspaper.
The official informed the committee that the finance division has completed its homework regarding the matter and said that it is considering a 120 per cent raise for employees from grades 1 till 22.
ISLAMABAD: Government has decided to roll out an Islamic financing facility for youth under its flagship Kamyab Jawan program, said Usman Dar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs.
He met State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Reza Baqir to discuss the dos and don’ts of the scheme, which is slated to be launched in April. Officials privy to the development say conventional banks will be engaged in Islamic financing for the youth.
Usman Dar, explaining how the facility will work, said it is in line with persistent demands of the youth for Islamic financing.
The SAPM said consultations with the central bank and all stakeholders have been completed in this regard.
He said loans are being disbursed among youth under the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) after due scrutiny in the first phase and that successful applicants would be entitled to Islamic financing in the second phase.
It is noteworthy that the YES was launched under the banner of Kamyab Jawan Program in October last year under which Rs100 billion allocated for the youth and loans ranging from Rs100,000 to Rs5 million would be disbursed among the youth coming up with practicable business ideas.
“Some 1.3 million youth applied for the loan scheme in merely 15 days which brings it into international spotlight as a team of the United Nations has discussed this Kamyab Jawan program for attracting such a large proportion of youth,” the special assistant had said.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Government and people stand firmly with their Chinese brothers at this hour of need and will provide full assistance as Beijing tackles the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday during telephonic conversation with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
During the conversation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Qureshi that Pakistan’s offer for help and support to China in this difficult time once again highlighted the deep friendship between the two neighbours.
Qureshi said the Pakistani people will stand firmly with their Chinese brothers and provide full assistance in this difficult time. Under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, the Chinese people will surely win the battle against coronavirus outbreak.
Wang noted that Pakistan had nearly a thousand citizens in Wuhan, and also thanked the Pakistani government for trusting the Chinese government and deciding not to rush them out of the country.
In the same phone call, Wang noted that a certain country has turned a blind eye to the recommendations put forward by the World Health Organisation and “imposed sweeping travel restrictions against China”.
“This kind of overreaction can only make things even worse. It’s not the right way to deal with the pandemic,” Wang told Qureshi. The Chinese foreign minister also assured him that Beijing will continue to safeguard the safety and health of Pakistanis and provide them with all necessary assistance.
In the same phone call, FM Wang noted certain country has turned a blind eye to WHO recommendations and imposed sweeping travel restrictions against China. This kind of overreaction could only make things even worse. It’s not the right way to deal with the pandemic.
He stated that under President Xi Jinping’s personal deployment, China had established a nationwide mechanism and taken decisive measures to prevent and control the epidemic.
“At present, all work is progressing in an orderly manner, and China is fully capable and confident in achieving its final victory,” he added.
ISLAMABAD: Travel advisory for Pakistan was relaxed by the United States of America, due to improving security situation.
Pakistan foreign office described the update in US Travel Advisory as a step in the right direction, saying it has made resolute efforts to enhance security throughout the country.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui in her tweet said: “Pakistan has noted the update in the U.S. Travel Advisory, which has acknowledged that “Pakistan s security environment has improved.” This is a step in the right direction.”
“Significant improvement in the security environment has led the United Nations to re-designate Islamabad as a family station for its personnel,” she said.
“Recently, the United Kingdom, while acknowledging the measures taken by Pakistan, has revised its Travel Advisory which is a welcome development,” the spokesperson added.
The Foreign Office spokesperson further said the positive decisions by Portugal and Norway with regard to their Travel Advisories for Pakistan also reflected the confidence of those European Governments in Pakistan s security environment.
“Pakistan has also been declared as one of the “Best Holiday Destinations for 2020″ by an award-winning travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler ,” she added.
ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties slammed the government on Friday for not repatriating Pakistanis stranded in Wuhan and at risk of contracting the coronavirus.
The criticism from opposition lawmakers came during a session of the Senate where the outbreak of the disease in Wuhan and the measures that the government had taken were discussed.
Leader of the House Senator Shibli Faraz said the government had deposited $840 into the bank accounts of Pakistani students. He said the Chinese government was taking care of Pakistanis stranded in Wuhan, Geo News reported.
Senator Mushahidullah of the PML-N criticised the government for not doing anything to evacuate Pakistani students from China. He said that the mothers of those students in Pakistan were “upset and crying” out of worry for their children. He said that important issues were being ignored by authorities.
“Pakistan has the largest embassy in China,” he said. “People there [in the embassy] don’t seem active.”
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Siraj ul Haq urged authorities to keep contact with parents of the Pakistani students stranded in China. He said that it was unfortunate that the students were running out of money.
PPP leader and former interior minister Rehman Malik said the government should send a special plane to bring back Pakistanis from Wuhan. He said if there was risk of the disease spreading in Pakistan then a proper screening process should be conducted so that the virus is contained.
Earlier, the government said it would not evacuate Pakistani students stranded in Wuhan as it was not advisable to do so. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said during a press conference that government will not become a part in spreading the virus.
He said the government stands with its Chinese counterpart and would respect the directions of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Beijing.
“We don’t want to take any emotional decision which will cause this virus to spread further,” he said. “It is also our responsibility to ensure that our citizens in Wuhan are being properly taken care of and see to it whether they are being provided food or items of daily use or not,” he added.
ISLAMABAD: Coronavirus outbreak is a serious issue and Pakistan is taking steps for safety of its nationals in China. All out efforts are being made for the assistance, safety and welfare of Pakistani nationals in China ever since the outbreak of coronavirus there.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday.
“Our embassy and consulates in China have reached out to all the Pakistani students” Aisha said, adding that Pakistan is also in touch with the Chinese officials who have assured us about the safety and wellbeing of Pakistani nationals.
She thanked the Chinese authorities for extending best possible assistance to Pakistani nationals.
She pointed out that a high powered committee has also been established in which all the stakeholders are represented to constantly monitor the situation emerging from the outbreak of the virus.
The spokesperson strongly regretted that constant jingoistic rhetoric and war hysteria unleashed by the Indian leadership against Pakistan.
She said India is making desperate attempts to divert attention from growing domestic and international criticism of their discriminatory, anti-Kashmir and anti-minority policies. She said nobody should underestimate our resolve to effectively thwart any aspiration of aggression again Pakistan.
Expressing concerns over blatant human rights violations in occupied Kashmir, Aisha Farooqui urged the international community to take cognizance of the situation in the valley.
She said Pakistan is effectively raising the Kashmir dispute at the international level. She said our missions abroad have also prepared a comprehensive plan to fully observe the Kashmir solidarity day and draw world attention to the lingering dispute.
When asked about the US’s Middle East Plan, the spokesperson said Pakistan has constantly supported a two state solution as per the relevant UN resolutions.
She renewed call for the establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous state of Palestine on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds al Sharif as its capital.
