KARACHI: Pakistani Rupee snapped its losing streak against the US dollar, gaining Rs3.43 in the interbank market a day after the government secured the much-anticipated deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to details, the dollar was trading around Rs208.5, against Wednesday’s record high of Rs211.93.In open market, local currency also gain Rs2 against the greenback, which was being traded around Rs211.
The development comes after weeks of persistent declines in the rupee’s value, which has been largely attributed to the country’s rising import bill and depleting foreign exchange reserves.
On Wednesday, the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Miftah Ismail informed the Chinese consortium of banks has signed a $2.3 billion loan facility agreement on Wednesday which will be received by Pakistan within a few days.
Earlier, the IMF and Pakistan reached an understanding pertaining to the amendments in the federal budget for FY23 to revive the bailout package.
ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on the directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has dispatched relief goods for Afghanistan earthquake victims.
The National Disaster Management Authority dispatched a consignment including family tents, tarpaulins, blankets and emergency medicines, said the spokesperson of NDMA.
“Pakistan has assured all possible support to ameliorate the sufferings of the Afghan people affected by the 6.1 magnitude earthquake which hit parts of Afghanistan on Wednesday, (Jun 22, 2022)”, the statement said.
It merits mention that a powerful earthquake jolted a remote border region of Afghanistan overnight killing at least 1,000 people and injuring 1,500 more, officials said Wednesday, with the toll expected to rise as desperate rescuers dig through collapsed dwellings.
The quake struck hardest in the rugged east, where people already lead hardscrabble lives in the grip of a humanitarian crisis made worse since the Taliban takeover in August.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the global agency has “fully mobilized” to help, with UN officials confirming the deployment of health teams and supplies of medicine, food, trauma kits and emergency shelter to the quake zone.
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday while taking a dig at the government said that he had never thought about appointing army chief of his choice.
Addressing a seminar in Islamabad, he said that he had told 11 years ago that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) will join hands. He said that their only purpose is to protect themselves from accountability.
Reacting to the recent statement of federal minister Khurram Dastagir, Imran Khan said that he had never thought about appointing army chief of his choice, adding that he had never compromised on merit throughout his life.
Taking a jibe at the rulers, the former PM said that he had started struggle against them 26 years ago, adding that he had told 26 years ago that former PM and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari are plunderers.
The PTI chairman went on to say that they [Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari] only level allegations against each other’s during the election days, adding that he had no doubt that they would join hands when he [Imran Khan] came to power.
“They toppled my government out of the fear that I would appoint Lt Gen Faiz Hameed as new army chief,” he added.
Imran Khan maintained that the US doesn’t do regime change for the betterment of the country but for their own benefits. He asked if it was in Pakistan’s interest to allow US to have a base in the country.
“Pakistan was devastated in the war on terror with bomb blasts” he said and added the head of our country was threatened over not participating in the war on terror. “I know tribal areas more than anyone else does and there was complete peace in tribal areas before war on terror.”
The PTI chairman said that media was heavily bribed before regime change, adding that he was called “Taliban Khan” and the whole media bashed him for opposing war.
LAHORE: As many as 450 Sikh pilgrims has arrived in Pakistan from India to observe the 183rd death anniversary of the first ruler of the Sikh Empire Maharaja Ranjit Singh to be held in Lahore on June 29.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which looks after the holy places of minorities in Pakistan and Pakistan Gurdwara Sikh Prabandhak Committee officials received the Sikh pilgrims at the Wagah Border.
“Some 450 Indian Sikhs arrived here via Wagah Border from India to attend festivities in connection with the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore.
The main event will be held at Dera Sahib on June 29,” ETPB spokesperson Amir Hashmi told the media.
He said that a langar (lunch) was served to all visiting Sikh pilgrims at Wagah before their departure for Gurdwara Janamasthan Nankana Sahib, some 80 kms from Lahore.
During their stay, the pilgrims would also visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara.
Hashmi said that the Pakistan government had issued visas to 500 Indian Sikhs. However, 450 turned up, he said.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the founder of the Sikh Empire, who ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. The issuance of visas to Indian Sikhs is covered under the framework of Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974.
Every year, a large number of Sikh pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday signed a RMB (Renminbi) 15 billion ($2.3 billion) loan facility agreement with a Chinese consortium of banks which is expected to aid the depleting foreign exchange reserves and depreciation of local currency.
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail announced the development on his Twitter handle, revealing that the inflows are expected within a couple of days.
“We thank the Chinese government for facilitating this transaction,” he said.
KABUL: An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 has jolted remote Afghan area of Paktiya and killed more than 1000 people on Wednesday, while over 610 of people were injured and the toll is likely to rise as information trickles in from remote mountain villages.
The quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistani border, the US Geological Survey (USGC) reported.
“Strong and long jolts,” a resident of the Afghan capital, Kabul, posted on the website of the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).
“It was strong,” said a resident of the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar.
Helicopters were deployed in the rescue effort to reach the injured and fly in medical supplies and food, said an interior ministry official, Salahuddin Ayubi.
“The death toll is likely to rise as some of the villages are in remote areas in the mountains and it will take some time to collect details.”
Today’s earthquake was the deadliest since 2002. It struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the southeastern city of Khost, near the border with Pakistan, the US Geological Survey (USGC) said.
Earlier, according to reports, most of the confirmed deaths were in the eastern province of Paktika, where 255 people were killed and more than 200 injured, Ayubi added.
In the province of Khost, 25 were dead and 90 had been taken to hospital.
Haibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the ruling Taliban, offered his condolences in a statement.
Mounting a rescue operation could prove a major test for the Taliban, who took over the country in August and have been cut off from much international assistance because of sanctions.
Shaking was felt by about 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, the EMSC said on Twitter, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties in Pakistan.
The EMSC put the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.1, though the USGC said it was 5.9. Adding to the challenge for Afghan authorities is recent flooding in many regions, which the disaster agency said had killed 11, injured 50 and blocked stretches of highway.
The disaster comes as Afghanistan grapples with a severe economic crisis since the Taliban took over, as US-led international forces withdrew following two decades of war.
In response to the Taliban takeover, many nations imposed sanctions on Afghanistan’s banking sector and cut billions of dollars worth of development aid.
Humanitarian aid has continued, however, with international agencies, such as the United Nations, operating.
The UN’s office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said Afghanistan had asked humanitarian agencies to help with rescue efforts, and teams were being dispatched to the quake-hit area.
A spokesman of Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said it would welcome international help.
Neighboring Pakistan said it was working to extend assistance.
Large parts of South Asia are seismically active because a tectonic plate known as the Indian plate is pushing north into the Eurasian plate. read more
In 2015, an earthquake struck the remote Afghan northeast, killing several hundred people in Afghanistan and nearby northern Pakistan.
In January, an earthquake struck western Afghanistan, killing more than 20 people.
The foreign ministry of Pakistan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed condolences over the lives lost in the earthquake.
The Prime Minister said that that “relevant authorities are working to support Afghanistan in this time of need.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said in a statement that the government and people of Pakistan extend their “deepest condolences and sympathies over the loss of precious lives and damage to property caused by the tragic earthquake in Paktika province of Afghanistan.”
“The people of Pakistan stand in strong solidarity with their Afghan brethren in this difficult time. We have no doubt that the brotherly Afghan people will overcome the effects of this natural calamity with their characteristic resilience,” the statement read.
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday disposed of a plea challenging the validity of Pakistani film actress Meera’s marriage with Atiqur Rehman due to the continued absence of her lawyer.
A family court had rejected the claim seeking to declare the nikkahnama (marriage contract) fake on May 28, 2018. Later this year, a sessions court judge rejected Meera’s appeal against the rejection, upholding the family court’s decision.
After this, Meera, whose real name is Irtiza Rubab, again challenged the session court’s decision, this time in the LHC. However, the high court disposed of her plea as her lawyer failed to appear for the hearings.
Meera maintained in the plea that Atiqur Rehman got a fake marriage contract and wedding pictures made during the shooting of a movie in Dubai, with intentions to seek publicity and blackmail her.
A sessions court on January 31 declared that Meera is legally the wife of Atiq-ur-Rehman, rejecting the showbiz star’s appeal to deny the ruling over her marriage.
Additional Sessions Judge Mazhar Abbas had declared that the nikkahnama is authentic and therefore the star is still legally married to Atiq.
Atiq accused Meera of entering into a another marriage contract with Captain Naveed in 2013 while still being married to him.
ISLAMABAD: Local body elections in the capital have been postponed, with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday directing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to complete fresh delimitation of constituencies and issue a new schedule in 65 days.
A hearing was held today on petitions related to local body elections in Islamabad at the request of PML-N, PPP and PTI.
The parties had sought a delay in the polls, making a case for revised delimitation after the government increased the number of union councils from 50 to 101.
The ECP had notified polls on July 31 in 50 union councils of the capital.
The hearing was conducted by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah.
When it began, the chief justice asked the ECP what their decision is regarding the local government elections in Islamabad.
“The ECP has given a clear position on local body elections under the government notification,” the officials told the court.
The chief justice inquired: “In how many days will the election be held?”
“Elections can be held in 60 to 65 days,” the Election Commission officials said.
Justice Minallah then proceeded to review some complaints received regarding the polls.
He directed the Election Commission to not transfer votes from one ward to another.
The ECP officials said that first a new delimitation process will take place over 60 days and then a schedule for local body elections will be announced.
They requested the court to order the federal government to cooperate in local body elections. “Governments obstruct local elections,” they complained.
“The court should order the federal government to fulfil constitutional obligations of local body elections,” they pleaded.
Justice Minallah noted that the parties’ requests to delay elections have been “rendered ineffective”.
The Election Commission should announce the election schedule after fresh delimitation in 65 days, the court ruled.
KABUL: An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 killed at least 950 people in Afghanistan early on Wednesday, officials said, adding that at least 610 of people were injured and the toll is likely to rise as information trickles in from remote mountain villages.
The quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost, near the Pakistani border, the US Geological Survey (USGC) reported.
“Strong and long jolts,” a resident of the Afghan capital, Kabul, posted on the website of the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).
“It was strong,” said a resident of the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar.
Helicopters were deployed in the rescue effort to reach the injured and fly in medical supplies and food, said an interior ministry official, Salahuddin Ayubi.
“The death toll is likely to rise as some of the villages are in remote areas in the mountains and it will take some time to collect details.”
Wednesday’s quake was the deadliest since 2002. It struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the southeastern city of Khost, near the border with Pakistan, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGC) said.
Earlier, according to reports, most of the confirmed deaths were in the eastern province of Paktika, where 255 people were killed and more than 200 injured, Ayubi added. In the province of Khost, 25 were dead and 90 had been taken to hospital.
Haibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the ruling Taliban, offered his condolences in a statement.
Mounting a rescue operation could prove a major test for the Taliban, who took over the country in August and have been cut off from much international assistance because of sanctions.
Shaking was felt by about 119 million people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, the EMSC said on Twitter, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties in Pakistan.
The EMSC put the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.1, though the USGC said it was 5.9.
Adding to the challenge for Afghan authorities is recent flooding in many regions, which the disaster agency said had killed 11, injured 50 and blocked stretches of highway.
The disaster comes as Afghanistan grapples with a severe economic crisis since the Taliban took over, as US-led international forces withdrew following two decades of war.
In response to the Taliban takeover, many nations imposed sanctions on Afghanistan’s banking sector and cut billions of dollars worth of development aid.
Humanitarian aid has continued, however, with international agencies, such as the United Nations, operating.
The UN’s office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said Afghanistan had asked humanitarian agencies to help with rescue efforts, and teams were being despatched to the quake-hit area.
A spokesman of Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said it would welcome international help. Neighbouring Pakistan said it was working to extend assistance.
Large parts of South Asia are seismically active because a tectonic plate known as the Indian plate is pushing north into the Eurasian plate. read more
In 2015, an earthquake struck the remote Afghan northeast, killing several hundred people in Afghanistan and nearby northern Pakistan.
In January, an earthquake struck western Afghanistan, killing more than 20 people.
The foreign ministry of Pakistan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed condolences over the lives lost in the earthquake.
The Prime Minister said that that “relevant authorities are working to support Afghanistan in this time of need.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said in a statement that the government and people of Pakistan extend their “deepest condolences and sympathies over the loss of precious lives and damage to property caused by the tragic earthquake in Paktika province of Afghanistan.”
“The people of Pakistan stand in strong solidarity with their Afghan brethren in this difficult time. We have no doubt that the brotherly Afghan people will overcome the effects of this natural calamity with their characteristic resilience,” the statement read.
LAHORE: Punjab province has decided to declare an “emergency” amid a rapid increase of reported cases of sexual abuse against women and children.
Talking to media, Punjab Home Minister Atta Tarar said that an increase in such incidents was a serious issue for society and government officials.
“Four to five cases of rape are being reported daily in Punjab due to which the government is considering special measures to deal with cases of sexual harassment, abuse and coercion,” the minister said
To deal with increasing rape cases and sexual assaults, the administration has declared an emergency,” he stated.
The minister said that civil society, women’s rights organisations, teachers, and attorneys would be consulted in the matter. Besides this, he urged parents to teach their children about the importance of safety.
Tarar stated that the accused in a number of cases had been detained, the government had launched an anti-rape campaign, and students would be warned about harassment in schools.
The home minister stated that now is the time for parents to learn how to protect their children. He stated that the government will raise the number of DNA samples on a fast-track basis.
“A system on abuse will be implemented in two weeks, reducing the incidents,” he added.
Pakistan has been suffering and battling a gender violence epidemic and violence against women cuts across classes in the country.
Pakistan ranks 153 out of 156 countries, just above Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan, according to the Global Gender Gap Index 2021 rankings.
An article published in International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS) said Pakistan reported as many as 14,456 women during the last four years, while Punjab reported the highest number in this regard.
Besides this, women’s harassment in the workplace, domestic violence against women and other discriminatory activities against women have also been rampant.
“The 5,048 cases of workplace harassment of women and violence against women reported in the country during 2018 followed by 4,751 cases in 2019; 4,276 cases in 2020 and 2,078 cases in 2021”, the Human Rights Ministry document said.
IFFRAS said overlapping legal systems punctured with loopholes and a deeply engrained patriarchy in the society combine to ensure women survivors of violence are improbable to get justice as per the opinion of human rights activists, lawyers and survivors.
“The whole process from the moment a crime is committed against a woman to registering it with the police — and then the court procedure — is structured in such a way that justice remains elusive,” Nayab Gohar Jan, a prominent rights activist stated in May.
