ISLAMABAD: The deadlock remains in the negotiations between Pakistan and the International Monitory Fund (IMF) as Executive Board meeting agenda of the international lender does not include Pakistan as agenda items.
The names of other countries including Uganda and Iceland have been included for approval in the IMF Executive Board meeting.
Finance Ministry officials and IMF officials will hold virtual meet ups in the coming days, the Ministry officials said.
A special meeting of the IMF Executive Board might be convened in case of Staff Level Agreement.
Finance Ministry officials said that $6.5 billion IMF loan program is ending on June 30
As per the finance ministry data, Pakistan has received only 3.9 billion dollars so far.
It is relevant to mention here that About $2.5 billion dollars are pending from the IMF.
Pakistan has to satisfy the IMF on three counts, starting with a budget due on Friday, before its board reviews whether to release at least some of the $2.5 billion still pending under a lending programme expiring this month, an IMF official said.
Esther Perez Ruiz, the International Monetary Fund’s resident representative for Pakistan, said that there was only time for one last IMF board review before the end of the $6.5 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) at the end of June.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, invited by President Ilham Aliyev, will travel to Azerbaijan today (Wednesday) as Islamabad aims to obtain spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries from Baku.
In a recent development, Pakistan released two tenders for spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments after nearly a year, coinciding with the announcement of a monthly LNG cargo agreement with Azerbaijan.
Pakistan has encountered difficulties in procuring spot cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) due to its dependence on gas for power generation and limited foreign exchange reserves, aggravated by the spike in global prices resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, on Tuesday, announced that Azerbaijan had agreed to provide Pakistan with a monthly LNG cargo at a more affordable price. Although specific details of the supply agreement were not disclosed, Malik confirmed that a contract had been signed with Azerbaijan and that the deliveries would commence in the near future.
This situation resulted in widespread power outages. However, Asian spot LNG prices have significantly declined this year, dropping from the record highs of $70/mmBtu in August to below $10.
Meanwhile, the prime minister’s entourage would also include ministers representing the priority areas of cooperation with Azerbaijan.
During his visit, the premier will hold wide-ranging talks with the Azerbaijani president on key areas of cooperation, including trade, investment, and energy.
Meanwhile, regional and global issues of mutual concern and cooperation in multilateral forums will also be discussed.
“Pakistan-Azerbaijan relationship is embedded in commonalities of faith, culture and history, and strengthened by mutual trust and convergence of views on regional and global matters,” the FO statement read.
The minister added that the frequent leadership-level exchanges highlight the bonds of friendship between the two countries and contribute to closer multifaceted cooperation for the mutual benefit of the people of Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
On the other hand, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) will meet today (Wednesday) with Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar to take up the issue of approval for the import of distressed LNG for the third time from an Azerbaijan firm SOCAR, based in the UK.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed Avenue formerly known as IJP Road and Seventh Avenue Overhead Bridge on Srinagar Highway besides performing ground breaking of Eleventh Avenue in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Addressing a ceremony in connection with the inauguration of these projects, the Prime Minister regretted that the poor performance of previous government delayed execution of important development projects. He however said that we have accelerated work on them and work on the ongoing projects in the federal capital will be completed by next month.
He announced an electric bus service will also be launched in the capital city, for which the buses will reach by 15th of next month.
The Prime Minister said a solid waste management system is also being introduced in Islamabad on the pattern of Lahore.
Shehbaz Sharif said that the IJP road has been named after Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed to recognize the services and sacrifices rendered by the martyrs for the nation. He said only those nations remain successful which remember the sacrifices of their martyrs.
The Prime Minister said that May 9 acts not only aggrieved the entire nation but also bowed our heads down in embarrassment. He said today the propaganda of a political party regarding regime change stands fully exposed.
The Prime Minister said relief has been given to the people in the budget. Referring to the increase in the salaries and pensions of employees, he said the budget envisages several initiatives for the youth. He said laptop scheme for the youth will be launched next month. This year one hundred thousand laptops will be distributed amongst the youth.
He said we are importing oil on discounted rates from Russia. He was also confident of a deal with the IMF saying Pakistan has fulfilled all the conditions.
He expressed the commitment to steer the country collectively out of difficult situation. He however stressed that political stability is a must for economic stability.
Speaking on the occasion, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said we will continue the journey of serving the country.
ISLAMABAD: The under construction IJP (Ibrahim Jalees Principal Road) Islamabad’s famous and extremely busy is being attributed to Captain Karnal She Khan Shaheed, Nishan e Haider.
With a refreshed look and feel, the road has been given a new name as wellm said Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Noor-ul-Amin Mengal.
While taking to twitter the CDA chief said that the Federal Cabinet has rechristened IJP Road as ‘Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed Road’.
The decision has received mixed feedback from the netizens. Some commenters said that it is a good step to honor the memory of a great martyred soldier, while others argue that renaming a main thoroughfare will create difficulties for new commuters and local businesses in the area.
A recent media report stated that the municipal agency has decided to construct service lanes on Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed Road to accommodate slow-moving vehicles.
The official stated that the addition of service lanes to the project’s design would be of great assistance to ‘slow commuters’. The civic agency will also beautify service lanes with green belts and flowers, giving the commuters a green appearance.
While the road’s official opening date is still uncertain, the project will be completed soon. The administration has received some criticism from the people for deciding to construct the service lane “at the eleventh hour”.
ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has started planning to introduce the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in Islamabad to cater growing transportation needs of the city.
The planning wing of the CDA has approached the Economic Affairs Division to get funding from an international donor i.e. Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) etc. to execute this project.
A preliminary concept paper in this regard has been prepared by the Planning Wing to proceed further on this project, however; senior officers informed that it needs a proper consultant to be engaged to carry out a detailed feasibility study.
According to initial working, a total of four potential routes have been identified that includes 30.5km long route from Rawat to Faisal Mosque on Islamabad Expressway and Faisal Avenue, 13.7km long route from N5 commonly known as G.T road to Pakistan Monument via Srinagar Highway, 27.5km long route from Rawat at T-Chowk to 26 No Stop on G.T road and 10.4km long route Pirwadhai to Faizabad via the IJP road.
The city planners had explored an option to utilize the existing railway track in Islamabad but scrapped the idea while considering it insufficient for the execution of this project as the existing railway track is one sided, which carries main traffic of Pakistan Railways.
Source said that though the planning wing has started its preparations well on time, but the execution of this project is quite difficult as it involves huge funding and political stability as well.
LAHORE: An earthquake measured 5.6-magnitude jolted Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and other cities on Tuesday afternoon, prompting people to rush out of their offices and homes. No loss of life has been reported.
In Punjab, the tremors were felt in Shakar Garh, Chichawatni, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Hafizabad, Zafarwal and Murree. The quake also hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Abbottabad, Swabi, and Swat areas.
Meanwhile, in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the tremors were felt in Bagh, DhirKot, and Muzaffarabad areas.
Besides Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar tremors were felt for a short time, resulting in people rushing out of their offices. It was horrifying as this was the second time a quake hit the capital within a short gap.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department, the earthquake originated at 1:04pm, with its depth at 10 kilometres.
The quake’s epicenter was Eastern Kashmir, the PMD said, with its longitude at 75.97 E and latitude at 33.32 N.
No loss of life has been reported so far from the quake.
The quake was felt in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOJK) and other parts of India, including New Delhi.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will depart for Turkiye today to attend the inauguration ceremony of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on June 3 (Saturday).
The premier has accepted an invitation from President Erdogan to visit Turkiye, marking a significant development in the diplomatic ties between the two nations. Erdogan was re-elected to his office on May 28.
Announced during a weekly briefing at the foreign office on Wednesday, spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz will embark on his visit to Turkiye on June 3.
During his visit, PM Shehbaz would also invite President Erdogan to Pakistan.
During the briefing, Ms Baloch highlighted that the prime minister’s visit to Turkiye is a testament to the deep-rooted friendship between the two countries. The trip signifies the commitment to further enhance cooperation and collaboration in various sectors.
The forthcoming visit is expected to encompass a range of discussions and agreements on trade, defense, tourism, and cultural exchanges. Both leaders are likely to engage in talks to explore avenues for increased economic cooperation and investment opportunities.
Turkiye has historically been a significant ally of Pakistan, with the two nations sharing common interests and standing together on regional and international issues.
This visit is anticipated to solidify their longstanding friendship and pave the way for stronger bilateral ties.
ISLAMABAD: An eight-year-old Afghan girl was raped by a man in broad daylight who managed to run away in presence of residents of Mohallah Diptian falling in the jurisdiction of Shahzad Town Police Station.
The minor victim was shifted to a hospital where the medico-legal official confirmed the rape.
The Shahzad Town police have registered the case against the unidentified rapist under sections 376 and 377/B of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the father of the victim but couldn’t hunt down the rapist till the filing of this report.
Hazar Gul, an Afghan national, hailing from Jalalabad, lodged a complaint with the Shahzad Town, saying that he was living in Mohallah Diptian, located near Mariam Masjid with his family for a couple of months.
“I was present at my house along with my elder brother when we heard some noises from the street, we rushed out of the house and witnessed a young man running towards us, consequently, without knowing the reason for his escape, we both tried to intercept him but he succeeded to let loose from our clutches and ran off from our custody,” the complainant narrating his story, said.
However, he said, “We moved towards the place where people of the street were gathered and saw my minor daughter crying.”
Upon query, the minor victim told him the tale of the brutal attack on her, saying she was playing near her house when she was dragged by the rapist into an under-construction house and raped forcibly.
The DPO (Rural) has taken up the case and asked the Shahzad Town police to take the case as a challenge and use all their efforts to make headway to arrest the rapist, the police sources said.
The SP has constituted teams and sent them to different locations to get a clue about the rapist.
The sources added that the police have rounded up a few suspects for investigation, claiming that the police teams would make headway to the criminal and hunt him down within the next 24 hours.
LAHORE: As the protests turned violent across the country after the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in Al-Qadir Trust case, the Shehbaz-led government has tightened noose around the PTI leaders and activists, arresting key leaders including women till the crack of dawn.
Since Imran Khan’s arrest, angry mobs attacked several public and private properties including army owned buildings, torched vehicles and injured several law enforcers.
On the other hand, violent clashes left seven civilians dead and a score of others wounded. There were reports of gunfire between the law enforcers and the protesters.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was the latest leader who was taken into custody by police in Islamabad on late Wednesday night, Dunya News reported.
Former Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested from Gilgit Baltistan House in Islamabad hours after PTI chief Imran Khan — whose arrest Tuesday sparked violent clashes and riots in that country — was remanded to the custody of a Pakistani anti-corruption agency for eight days in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Qureshi’s arrest was part of the anti-corruption agency’s ‘crackdown’ on the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
The PTI leader’s arrest was addition to the tally as several PTI leaders including former Governor Punjab Omer Sarfraz Cheema, PTI secretary general Asad Umar and PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry were already apprehended by police earlier in the day.
Earlier, an accountability court in Islamabad on Wednesday granted the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan to NAB for eight days.
The decision was announced by accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir in a case pertaining to Al-Qadir Trust. The accountability bureau had requested Imran Khan’s physical remand for 14 days.
A day after the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan, party’s general secretary Asad Umar, senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry, Jamshaid Iqbal Cheema and women leaders Musarrat Cheema and Maleeka Bokhari were also taken into custody on Wednesday and Thursday.
As Fawad Chaudhry came out of the SC, where he had been residing to evade arrest, he was taken into custody.
Talking to the media, he said it was happening for the first time in Pakistan that a SC lawyer had been arrested on SC premises. “What has been unforeseen, is happening now”, he added. Bar associations had, he said, reduced the power of lawyers in their personal feud.
All the sections of the society were facing challenges now, he said.
He said when he came to the IHC, Imran Khan was arrested on the premises of the IHC. “Imran Khan was tortured and his head was wounded,” he added. I appealed to the IHC CJ, he said, he entertained it and passed a worthless order.
He went on to say that the PTI also raised the issue before the SC but the case was not fixed for hearing. “Now SC have been evacuated and I have been asked to surrender,” he added.
He said problems could solved through dialogue in politics. “We need to cool down the heat raised by Imran Khan’s arrest,” he added.
An organised attempt had been made to create division between the army and the PTI, he said.
Earlier, it was reported that PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested from the Red Zone in Islamabad. But Qureshi via Twitter denied rumours of his arrest and said this was a strategy of the government to spread misinformation to shatter the spirit of party and its supporters.
Asad Umar was arrested when he was about to leave for the SC to challenge the IHC decision on Imran Khan’s arrest along with Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Asad was whisked away by the Anti-Terror Squad.
The former finance minister was in the IHC to file a petition to seek a meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan. It is not clear on what charges Asad has been arrested.
According to eyewitnesses, the PTI lawyers resisted police to prevent Asad’s arrest, but the law enforcers overpowered them and took him away.
Two cases have been registered against him and other PTI leaders following the protests that ensued after Imran’s arrest. The cases were registered in Islamabad’s Tarnol and Aabpara police stations.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Niazi and Ghulam Sarwar Khan were also with Asad Umar when the CTD men swooped on him. All three leaders returned to the IHC’s Bar Room after Asad was held by police.
Police also tried to arrest Mr Qureshi, however, the lawyers and other party workers thwarted the police bid.
PTI leader Shireen Mazari condemned the arrest of Asad Umar on her Twitter handle. She tweeted: “Seems like the IHC area has become a fertile ground to illegally arrest PTI leaders”.
Sialkot police detained Aamir Dar, the brother of PTI leader Usman Dar, during a raid at a factory and shifted him to an unknown location. The Punjab police have so far arrested 1,650 activists for ransacking public and private properties, torching 69 police vehicles and injuring more than 150 officers and officials in the last two days.
In Lahore, unidentified people set a container carrying a piece of cloth on fire near Kalma Chowk in early hours. A police vehicle was torched on Sundar Das Road. In another incident, some people attempted to stop a passenger train at the Dharamapura Railway Crossing.
The Kasur police detained 25 PTI workers during multiple raids and shifted them to unknown locations.
Police took 16 PTI activists into custody from different localities of Quetta in the late hours. As many 80 workers have so far been taken into custody in the last two days.
Karachi police booked over 14 PTI leaders and 200 workers in several cases on the charges of sabotage and the Anti-Terrorism Act.
As many 296 protesters and attackers have been arrested in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for ransacking public and private properties.
In Dir’s Chakdarra area, unidentified miscreants attacked an state owned building, burned down furniture and eight vehicles belonging to security forces. The attackers also set a motorway toll plaza on fire. The Attock police shifted 60 detained workers to the district jail.
ISLAMABAD: Schools and colleges of all over Pakistan in general and in Islamabad particular as the institutions experienced an unprecedented lack of attendance, as parents opted to keep their children stay home due to the uncertain and potentially unsafe conditions.
The education system was thrown into disarray on Wednesday as the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, created an unstable political situation as PTI leaders and workers hold violent protests.
The lack of leadership from the education department regarding the decision to close schools and colleges resulted in minimal attendance, with only a few students braving the uncertain circumstances.
Adding to the low turnout was the failure of the schools and colleges to provide transportation services to their students. No school buses were dispatched to pick up students from their homes, leaving them with limited means to commute to their educational institutions.
This further contributed to the already abysmal attendance, as many students were unable to make the journey without reliable transportation which left teachers waiting in empty classrooms.
This unfortunate situation reflects the absence of effective leadership and decision-making within the federal education department.
Parents expressed their concerns regarding the security of their children. They voiced their frustrations, emphasizing that the education department should have taken timely action by announcing the closure of schools and colleges.
They argued that such a decision would have prevented students from being left in a state of uncertainty and ensured their safety during this politically unstable period.
When contacted for a comment, the Director (Academics) Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), Ms. Riffat Jabeen, explained that the education department’s hands were tied until directives regarding the closure of institutions were issued by the Ministry.
She implied that without official guidance, they were unable to make the independent decision to close schools and colleges.
This statement highlights the need for better coordination and communication between relevant authorities to prevent confusion and ensure the safety and well-being of students.
As the city continues to grapple with its unstable political situation, it is imperative that the education department and relevant authorities work swiftly to address these challenges.
Timely decision-making, effective communication, and proactive measures are vital to restoring a sense of normalcy and ensuring the uninterrupted education of the students.
