KARACHI, Oct 14(ABC): The improvement in the exchange rate, mostly in the favour of local currency, is likely to bring the prices of petroleum products down in the next fortnightly review by the oil sector regulator. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) will meet soon to revise the petroleum prices for the next fortnight starting October 16, 2022. If …

LONDON, Oct 14(ABC): The British government will provide an additional £10 million of life-saving humanitarian support for Pakistan’s flood relief efforts. The additional humanitarian aid was announced by Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, UK Minister of State for South Asia (FCDO), during his visit to Pakistan. In addition to the UK’s £26.5 million donation in humanitarian funding, a UK Royal Air Force …

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD, Oct 14(ABC): After an almost day-long outage, the Power Division on Friday said that electricity transmission and generation have been restored across the country adding that only routine power load-shedding is being carried. “Electricity transmission and generation have been restored across Pakistan including restoration of full supply from national grid to Karachi,” the division said in a statement. Power …

LAHORE, Oct 14(ABC): Punjab Home Adviser Umer Sarfraz Cheema on Thursday directed the IG Punjab to ensure arrest of Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah. In a statement the senior PTI leader and Punjab Home Adviser Umer Sarfraz Cheema said that anti-corruption Punjab has obtained the non-bailable arrest warrant of Rana Sanaullah and the arrest warrant is effective till October 19. …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 14 (ABC): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif participated in the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Astana, Kazakhstan on 13 October, 2022 and held important meetings with the regional leaders. According to  Pakistan’s Foreign Office, during the plenary proceedings, the prime minister, inter alia, made a statement articulating …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13(ABC): Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Thursday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership had a record of attacking national institutions. Talking to a private television channel, he said PTI leaders including Azam Khan Swati had targeted national institutions to defame them. He said PTI chief Imran Khan and other leaders had been facing court cases on different charges, but …

ASTANA, Oct 13 (ABC): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA)  here in Kazakhstan on Thursday and discussed matters of mutual interest. They reviewed the bilateral relations with special focus on promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in …

RAWALPINDI, Oct 13 (ABC): Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday visited flood affected areas in interior Sindh and assured the local masses that Pakistan Army would continue to serve people to mitigate their suffering till they were rehabilitated. During the visit, the COAS met troops busy in flood relief efforts providing medical and administrative care …

MARDAN, Oct 13(ABC): PTI Chairman Imran Khan said Thursday that whoever gives an NRO to “thieves” — the incumbent rulers — is a “traitor” as he lashed out at institutions for allegedly torturing his party’s leaders. “All thieves are being released; Shehbaz Sharif and his son have been acquitted. Whoever they are, they should be ashamed. You are a traitor …

WASHINGTON, Oct 13(ABC): A man hurled abuses at Finance Minister Ishaq Dar — who is currently in the United States — at the Washington Airport. In a video that has gone viral on social media, a man is seen mistreating and hurling abuses at the finance minister. However, a person accompanying Dar responded — after which the man seem to …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13(ABC): The Ministry of Energy said Thursday night that the electricity transmission system across Pakistan had been restored after a major power outage hit several parts of the country. In a statement, the energy minister added that a disturbance that occurred in the 500KV line of Karachi had been cleared, and further power was being diverted from alternative …

ASTANA, Oct 13(ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that he strongly favoured peaceful dialogue in resolving conflicts with other countries, including neighbouring India, in a bid to achieve prosperity of the nations and the region. Addressing the 6th summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, he said Pakistan …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13(ABC): In its second letter, the Ministry of Interior Thursday told the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that terrorist activities might take place during the by-polls as it asked the body to hold the elections in a “cautious” manner. The October 16 by-elections were scheduled to take place in eight constituencies — NA-22 Mardan, NA-24 Charsadda, NA-31 Peshawar, …

KARACHI, Oct 13(ABC): The Sindh government Thursday refused to provide security personnel for the October 23 local body polls in Karachi. On October 4, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) turned down the Sindh government’s plea to differ the local body elections in the port city for three months. Despite the refusal, the provincial government has again written a letter …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13(ABC): The federal government on Thursday filed a contempt of court plea against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Supreme Court over his long march call to Islamabad. In its petition, the federal government told the apex court that the PTI chief is making announcements of marching towards Islamabad, which was a violation of a court order. “Imran Khan …

KARACHI, Oct 13(ABC): Malala Yousafzai, the world’s youngest Nobel laureate, Thursday registered her protest against the dastardly terror attack on a  van full of schoolchildren in her hometown, where she was shot for going to school almost a decade ago. “I add my voice to thousands of people protesting for peace in Swat. Monday’s attack on a school bus full …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13(ABC): Senior PTI leader Senator Azam Khan Swati’s two-day physical remand was approved by a district and sessions court following his arrest over his alleged “controversial” tweets. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) took Swati into custody from his home in Islamabad earlier, and presented him before senior civil judge Shabbir Bhatti’s court in the federal capital. The agency’s …

Oct 13(ABC):Meta Platforms (META.O) unveiled its Quest Pro virtual and mixed reality headset on Tuesday, marking a milestone for Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s break into the higher-end market for extended reality computing devices. The headset, introduced at Meta’s annual Connect conference, will hit shelves on Oct. 25 at a price of $1,500, and will offer consumers a way to interact …

DUBAI, Oct 13(ABC): A “flying car” built by Chinese electronic vehicle maker Xpeng Inc (9868.HK) made its first public flight in the United Arab Emirates, as the company works towards launching the electric aircraft on international markets. The X2 is a two-seater electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that is lifted by eight propellers – two at each corner …

LONDON, Oct 13(ABC): A “robot artist” called Ai-Da told British lawmakers on Tuesday that although it was an artificial creation, it was still capable of producing art, as it spoke at a parliamentary inquiry into how new technologies will affect the creative industries. Described as “the world’s first ultra-realistic AI humanoid robot artist”, it appeared in one of parliament’s ornate …

Oct 13(ABC): Neuroscientists have shown that lab-grown brain cells can learn to play the classic video game Pong, and could be capable of “intelligent and sentient behavior.” Brett Kagan, who led a study published in the journal Neuron Wednesday, told AFP his findings open the door to a new type of research into biological information processors, complementing normal digital computers. …

Oct 13(ABC): Apple will start upgrading its iPhone models in India in December to make them compatible with 5G networks, the company said on Wednesday, as Indian authorities pressed mobile phone manufacturers to adoption the high-speed network. The company said it would push software upgrades to recent models, including the iPhone 14, 13, 12 and iPhone SE, which, industry sources say, do …

NOORIABAD, Oct 13(ABC): At least 10 passengers died Wednesday after a bus caught fire on the motorway near Jamshoro’s Nooriabad Town, the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Nooriabad said. The bus, with as many as 80 flood affectees on board, was heading towards Karachi from Khairpur Nathan Shah, the motorway police said. The passengers were of the Mugheri tribe. The …

ASTANA (Kazakhstan), Oct 12 (ABC): Pakistan and Azerbaijan on Wednesday agreed to hold fast-track discussions on energy collaboration between the two countries through robust engagement. The bilateral relations were discussed in a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in which the two sides renewed their commitment to intensify and deepen bilateral engagement in …

RAWALPINDI, Oct 11(ABC): His Excellency Mr Jean Pierre, Lacroix, United Nations (UN) Under Secretary General Department of Peacekeeping Operations (USG DPO) called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) at GHQ on Wednesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), matters pertaining to mutual interests and overall regional security situation were discussed, during the meeting. The COAS …

LAHORE, Oct 11(ABC): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that today (October 12) is the day to learn lessons from the painful history of the country. Taking to Twitter, the former premier [Nawaz] said that today the constitution was violated and the parliament was dissolved. “We went through such experiences four times”, …

LAHORE, Oct 11(ABC): The federal government on Wednesday decided to support the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government in curbing terrorist activities. Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah chaired a steering committee to discuss the law and order situation. On this occasion, the committee members, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Khalid Magsi, Mohsin Dawar, Amir Muqam, Shaukat Ali Khan, and Muhammad Saleh Shah were present. …

LAHORE, Oct 11(ABC): PTI Chairman Imran Khan Wednesday told his supporters to gear up as he could give a call for the anti-government long march to Islamabad at any moment. Speaking at the Insaf Students Federation’s (ISF) convention in Lahore, the PTI Chairman said: “It won’t take long now. You should remain prepared every day for my call.” In his …

LAHORE, Oct 11(ABC): Reacting to the acquittal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz in the money laundering case, PTI on Wednesday termed the development a “slap in the nation’s face by the judicial system”. Commenting on the special court’s decision, PTI Chairman Imran Khan told a gathering in Sharaqpur that PM Shehbaz and Hamza’s acquittal has covered …

LAHORE, Oct 11(ABC): The Special Court, Central, Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz in the Rs16 billion money laundering case lodged against them by the Federal Investigation Agency. The court announced its judgment in the mega money laundering case against the Shehbaz family after the FIA prosecutor informed the court that no money was directly …

Oct 11(ABC): Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai told the female flood victims they are brave as she listened to their plight due to the climate-induced calamity. The 25-year-old girls’ education activist visited the flood-hit Chandan area of Juhi in Dadu district on Wednesday where she interacted with the flood affectees and inspected the tent city. The female victims welcomed …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 11(ABC): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted protective bail to PTI Chairman Imran Khan till next week in the prohibited funding case and directed him to approach the relevant court, reported. The PTI chief was granted bail against surety bonds of Rs5,000 till October 18 in the prohibited funding case registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after he reached …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 11(ABC): Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf Ali has resigned from his post, sources told. AGP has submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, however, he has been asked to continue working till a replacement is appointed. The sources said that AGP Ali has resigned due to health reasons. JCP meeting to be held today Interestingly, the …

LAHORE, Oct 11(ABC):  PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday approved the name of former governor Punjab Omar Sarfraz Cheema as the adviser to the province’s chief minister on home affairs, sources told. The decision to appoint Cheema for the coveted position came after former provincial home minister Col (retd) Hashim Dogar handed over his resignation to CM Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi a …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 12 (ABC):Special Assistant to Prime Minister Atta Ullah Tarar on Wednesday said former Prime Minister Imran Khan had himself recorded audios even of his party members and now was maligning national institutions when his real face was exposed. Addressing a press conference here, he said audios leaks had established his dirty political game that how he had been …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 11(ABC): Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said that ‘individuals’ were likely involved in leaking sensitive audios recorded in some of the highest offices of the country, promising that the audios would be sent for forensic examination as well. Asked about the recent audio leaks and investigations into it Sanaullah said that they were making progress. With …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 11(ABC): President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday sought to clarify an explosive media interview, claiming that some of his statements seem to have been taken out of context to suggest he felt there was no conspiracy afoot after the cypher came to light. In a statement issued by the Presidency on Tuesday, Dr Alvi sought to dispel misgivings …

Oct 11(ABC): With climate-induced disasters, pandemic after-shocks, and a war in Europe, global lender International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects the world economy to slow considerably over the next 18 months. In Pakistan, there will be more inflation and unemployment. This was disclosed as IMF released its “World Economic Outlook 2022: Countering the Cost-of-living Crisis” report on Tuesday. The report conceded …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 11(ABC): Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Tuesday left for the United States (US) to hold talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). According to details, the finance minister will hold talk with the international lenders for review of microeconomic framework for 2022-23 amid devastating floods in the country. Pakistani official has said that …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 11(ABC): The Supreme Court (SC) has sought records of all high-profile cases from 1999 to June 2022 from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. A hearing on Tuesday held in the Supreme Court on Imran Khan’s petition against the NAB amendments. PTI lawyer Khawaja Haris opined that the …