ISLAMABAD, July 30(ABC): The government has further burdened the masses, who are already concerned due to whooping inflation as the federal cabinet on Saturday approved increasing dealers’ margin on petrol and diesel by Rs7 per litre. According to details, the government has approved an increase in dealer margin on diesel by Rs2.87. While the dealer margin on petrol has been …

LAHORE, July 29(ABC): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said that tests and trials have made her stronger and more resolute in 23 years. While going 23 years back in history, PML-N vice president shared a photo of an old newspaper and said, “1999! Still stood against oppression and persecution then and still do, 23 years …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik on Saturday said PTI chairman Imran Khan was the ‘abettor’ in a $250 million money-laundering case and the ‘guarantor’ of Arif Naqvi, Chief Executive of the Abraj Capital and Investment Company, indicted by the US courts in a range of cases and could get up to 290-year jail. “How …

QUETTA, July 29(ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday visited Balochistan to oversee the relief work being done in the province after heavy monsoon rains took the lives of more than 120 people. Torrential rains have wreaked havoc in Balochistan, leaving destruction in their way. More than 6,000 houses have been completely torn down, and over 10,000 houses are partially damaged. …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): The PTI criticised Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Saturday for “not meeting” his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent. Bilawal was in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 28-29 July, where he led Pakistan’s delegation to the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ (SCO-CFM) Meeting. In a press conference, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry claimed that …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and PTI Chairperson Imran Khan got involved in a war of words on Twitter over the rupee’s recent depreciation against the dollar. In response to Khan’s tweet on rising inflation and depreciation of the local currency during the coalition government’s tenure, the finance minister in a thread, compared the PTI-led government’s performance with the …

PESHAWAR, July 29(ABC): Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Saturday said that the Opposition is not scared of anyone, no matter how much they are powerful or are a part of any organisation. Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, the JUI-F chief said that the allied parties will fight a political and constitutional war instead of surrendering. …

LAHORE, July 30(ABC): A special court in Lahore on Saturday fixed September 7 for the indictment of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz, and others, for their alleged involvement in money laundering of Rs16 billion in the sugar scam case. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) booked Shehbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman in November 2021 under sections …

TASHKENT, July 30(ABC): Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who is currently attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting, asserted that Pakistan has no plans of holding any bilateral meeting with India, reported Saturday. Bilawal held six bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of Central Asian countries on the sidelines of the conference which is being …

ISLAMABAD, July 30(ABC): Justice Syed Mansoor Ali of the Supreme Court Friday remarked that the Constitution has no basic structure, adding that being the supreme law-making body parliament has the authority to change the Constitution. The comments from the top court’s judge came during the hearing of a petition filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan challenging the amendments made to …

ISLAMABAD, July 30(ABC): A slight decline in COVID-19 cases was reported in the country over the last 24 hours, with the positivity ratio dropping to 3.15%, data from the National Institute of Health, Islamabad (NIH) showed Saturday morning. According to the NIH, during the last 24 hours, 19,236 diagnostic tests were conducted out of which 605 came back positive. Meanwhile, …

ISLAMABAD, July 30(ABC): Former Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani Friday stated that the federation requires a healing touch because the conflict between institutions operating under the 1973 Constitution and disagreements beyond democratic norms among political parties, combined with soft or hard intervention by the ruling elite, has resulted in political, economic, and administrative instability. The people and the state can …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday while reacting to a recent Financial Times report regarding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) foreign funding said that report is a serious indictment against Imran Khan. Taking to Twitter, PM penned that “The investigation report of the reliable international organization Financial Times is a serious indictment against Imran Niazi, and it has exposed …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial on Friday made the audio recording of the Judicial Commission meeting public after the letters of Justice Qazi Faiz Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood. According to the statement, on the instructions of the Chief Justice, the audio recording of the Judicial Commission was released on the website of the …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan while reacting to a recent report released by Financial Times regarding PTI foreign funding said that overseas Pakistanis are the country’s asset, and all funds came through proper banking channels. In an interview with a private TV channel, the PTI chairman said that he knew Arif Naqvi …

WEB DESK, July 29(ABC): Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari underscored the importance of road and energy connectivity for regional prosperity between Pakistan and Tajikistan. During a bilateral meeting with the Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting, Bilawal stressed the need for the completion of the CASA-1000 …

RAWALPINDI, July 29(ABC): Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong Thursday assured Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed of playing his role in further improving diplomatic cooperation with Islamabad at all levels. The envoy’s assurance came during his meeting with the army chief at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, where both the officials discussed matters of mutual interest, …

WEB DESK, July 29(ABC): As the country awaits the verdict reserved by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) into the PTI’s prohibited funding, an expose by the Financial Times has blown the lid off Pakistani tycoon Arif Naqvi’s involvement in the party’s finances and how a significant portion of its funding in 2013 was of foreign origin. According to the report, “Naqvi …

RAWALPINDI, July 29(ABC): Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has appealed to the United States to help Islamabad secure an early dispersal of $1.2 billion in funds under an International Monetary Fund loan programme, Nikkei Asia reported, as Pakistan faces the risk of debt default due to dwindling foreign reserves. The army chief reached out to the US Deputy …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Following Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s letter to the JCP, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood said on Friday that the press release issued by the public relations officer (PRO) of the Supreme Court at the Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s (JCP) meeting presented a “totally different version of events from what actually occurred”. In a letter written to the JCP …

LAHORE, July 29(ABC): The Punjab Assembly elected PTI’s Sibtain Khan, who was a joint candidate of his party and the PML-Q, as the new speaker on Friday. The Punjab Assembly speaker’s seat fell vacant after the former office bearer Pervez Elahi was elected as the chief minister of Punjab on Tuesday, July 26. Sibtain won the election after securing 185 …

ISLAMABAD, Jul 29(ABC): Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail said here on Friday that attracting the United States foreign investment in different sectors of country’s economy was the government’s top priority. The minister was talking to Ambassador of the United Stated of America to Pakistan, Donald Blome who called on him here, according to press statement issued by …

QADIRABAD, July 29(ABC): Flash flood unleashed by heavy rainfall inundated the settlements in the areas of Rajanpur, Rojhan and Taunsa on Friday. The rural areas and settlements have been wrecked by the flood water, while the victims are moving to safe places on their own. Furthermore, the crops on 27 thousand 860 acres of land have also been affected due …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry on Friday said that ECP should decide on the matter of funding of all parties simultaneously. In a statement on Twitter, the PTI leader said that the funding laws are intended to ensure that the voters are aware that who is funding a political party. PTI has given the details of …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Petrol and diesel prices may rise by Rs10-17 per litre beginning August 1, 2022, despite the fact that prices for petroleum products and crude oil have remained relatively stable. The increase has been estimated because the exchange rate has gone haywire, according to a report. According to sources, a hike of Rs10 in petrol and Rs16-17 in …

WEB DESK, July 29(ABC): PML-Q’s Central Working Committee (CWC) has decided to release Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from the duties of party president, citing health concerns. The decision to remove Shujaat from the party command was taken at a CWC meeting headed by Senator Kamil Ali Agha in the chair at the Muslim League House on Thursday. “It has become necessary …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): The coalition government on Thursday lifted the ban on the import of non-essential and luxury products imposed earlier in May, however, the restrictions on the import of completely built-up automobiles, mobile phones, and home appliances will remain in place. According to the Ministry of Finance, the decision was taken during the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), held under …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Pakistan reported a slight decline in its coronavirus positivity ratio while another person succumbed to the virus, National Institute of Health, Islamabad’s (NIH) data showed Friday morning. As per the latest stats, the COVID-19 positivity rate in Pakistan declined from 3.65% yesterday to 3.35% today (Friday). On Thursday, the country had reported nine deaths in a single …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz Thursday said if the PTI wants to apply political tactics and make people change party positions, then the coalition government also knows how to engage in that kind of politics. Maryam was speaking to the press following a meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) chiefs to chalk out a future strategy …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf Thursday accepted 11 resignations of PTI members under Article 64(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan. NA spokesperson said notification has also been issued in this regard. The announcement was made on the official Twitter handle of the National Assembly. The PTI lawmakers had tendered their resignations en masse after Imran Khan’s …

ISLAMABAD, July 29(ABC): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Thursday said that Pakistan and China had complete convergence on fully leveraging Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as an important regional platform for development and connectivity. Bilawal met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Council of Foreign Ministers meetings of the SCO. During the meeting, Bilawal and Wang reviewed the progress …

KARACHI, July 29(ABC): The country’s foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) continued to decline on a weekly basis. On July 22, the foreign currency reserves held by the SBP were recorded at $8,575.16 million, down $754 million compared with $9,328.6 on July 15, data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday showed. …

ISLAMABAD, Jul 28(ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the eight years long delay in the decision of foreign funding case against Imran Khan evidenced how the “Ladla” was being protected. The prime minister, in a tweet, said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for not taking salary and contrary to that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader was …

ISLAMABAD, July 28 (ABC): The federal government has decided to accept resignations of some Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Members of the National Assembly (MNAs). According to details, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has started consultation with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq in a bid to accept the resignations of PTI lawmakers. Media reports said that PML-N has demanded …

ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (ABC): President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday urged the provincial governments and organisations from public and private sectors to make all possible efforts for rescue and relief to people hit by flash floods and torrential rains in various parts of the country. The president, in a tweet, said that the torrential rains and flash floods had deluged …

ISLAMABAD, July 28(ABC): The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Thursday rejected the elevation of five high court judges, nominated by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, to the Supreme Court. Sources prior to the development told that CJP Bandial presided over the judicial commission’s meeting, where a total of five judges, two from the Sindh High Court …

RAWALPINDI, July 28 (ABC): Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that Pakistan values its relations with Poland and we earnestly look forward to enhance mutually beneficial multi-domain relations based on common interests. He was talking to Mr Maciej Pisarski, Ambassador of Republic of Poland to Pakistan, who called on the Chief of Army Staff at …

ISLAMABAD, July 28(ABC): Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Thursday while calling out Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said that the former prime minister should dissolve assemblies of both the provinces if he wants election to be held. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, he said that the PTI lawyers postponed the foreign funding case for over …

ISLAMABAD, July 28(ABC): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  supremo and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday directed the newly elected Punjab government to restore PTI prominent programs including Ehsaas, health cards and other welfare projects. The PTI chairman held a virtual meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and former Federal Minister Moonis Elahi through video link and discussed political …

QUETTA, July 28(ABC): The recent monsoon spell in the country pummelled Balochistan, leaving destruction in its way as more than 100 people lost their lives and thousands of homes were completely destroyed. Balochistan Chief Secretary Abdul Azai Aqili, in a press conference on the rains’ devastation Thursday, told journalists that as many as 111 people have lost their lives so …