ISLAMABAD, Oct 8(ABC): Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Saturday claimed the “institution’s” neutrality was hurting a person “very much”, as he slammed PTI Chairman Imran Khan. In his conversation with journalists, Asif claimed that the PTI leadership after a lot of persuasions had sent President Arif Alvi to the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Earlier, PML-N …

SKARDU: Gilgit-Baltistan Prisons Minister Abaid ullah Baig, who was abducted by armed men from Babusar Road, has reached home, reported Saturday. The minister was coming back to Skardu from Islamabad on Friday along with two foreigners when abducted by the terrorists demanding the release of their accomplices from jail, police sources told the TV channel. Earlier, former GB government spokesperson Faizullah …

RAWALPINDI, Oct 8(ABC): A special judicial magistrate on Saturday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, which is considered a tit-for-tat move by the Punjab government after two PTI leaders were taken into custody by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). A spokesperson of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab said that it issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 8(ABC): Following the recent arrests of PTI members in relation to the prohibited funding case, the party Saturday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). According to the petition’s contents, PTI requested the court to stop the agency from making arrests and conducting raids. The development came after the FIA raided PTI leader Senator …

LAHORE, Oct 8(ABC): The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday was granted two-day physical remand of PTI’s senior leader Hamid Zaman in a case related to prohibited funding by a district and sessions court in Lahore. Ahead of today’s hearing, the FIA produced Zaman before the court of Judicial Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Virk for the charges against him. The FIA pleaded …

KAKUL, Oct 8(ABC): Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday advised the passed-out cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), not to get distracted by fake news, political wrangling in the country and always respect democratic institutions. The army chief was addressing the passing out ceremony of the 146th PMA Long Course held at PMA, Kakul on Saturday. COAS …

BROOKLYN, UNITED STATES, Oct 8(ABC): Google is looking to up its smartphone game with the Pixel 7, the latest entrant in a competitive corner of personal electronics where it has traditionally been a bit player. The device was unveiled this week in Brooklyn, where representatives from the Mountain View, California giant highlighted top-flight features that can silence background noise on …

Oct 8(ABC): WhatsApp is back with yet another exciting and much-awaited feature for its users. The instant-messaging platform is testing a feature where the application will not allow users to take screenshots or record the media sent on one view. WABetaInfo, which is known for being a WhatsApp watchdog for keeping an eye on the newest updates in WhatsApp betas …

LONDON, Oct 7(ABC): PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Friday reacted to the alleged leaked audios of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and said that everything related to him was a conspiracy. “It’s shocking that everything related to him is linked with a conspiracy, and that’s the reason I call term him fitna (rabble-rouser). His real name should be Sazish Khan,” Maryam, who …

BERLIN, Oct 7(ABC): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has already warned of a second catastrophe following the devastating floods in the shape of diseases. “I want to get justice for my people. Pakistan produces less than one per cent of global emissions but we are among the top climate-affected countries in the world. …

LAHORE, Oct 7(ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lashed out at the PTI Chairman Imran Khan, saying that the latest audio leak exposed his [Imran’s] hypocrisy. Taking to Twitter, PM Shehbaz took a swipe at the PTI chief [Imran] and penned, “Someone who does not tire of lecturing nation on morality is himself blatantly involved in immoral horse-trading. Slamming …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7(ABC): Another leaked audio has gone viral on social media, allegedly featuring PTI chief Imran Khan, ex-human rights minister Shireen Mazari, and former planning minister Asad Umar, where the former premier could be purportedly heard asking his party’s leaders to “brand” people as Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq ahead of the no-confidence motion. In the audio tape — …

MIANWALI, Oct 7(ABC): PTI Chairman Imran Khan claimed Friday that four people were planning to assassinate him, and if something happens to him, he would release their names. “The tape, which includes the names of four people, will be released if something happens to me,” the former prime minister — who is embroiled in the recent audio leaks controversy — said while …

Oct 7(ABC): PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chauhdry Friday claimed that the latest audio in which former prime minister Imran Khan is allegedly talking about horse trading in the National Assembly is “edited” and they know who is behind this. Taking to Twitter, the former information minister said that people are aware of the source of these audios. “Can you justify …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7(ABC): Amid the PTI leaders’ claim that Senator Saifullah Nyazee was “picked up” from the Senate’s premises, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed Friday that the Opposition lawmaker was taken into “protective custody” by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for questioning in the foreign funding case. “[Senator Saifullah Nyazee] was not appearing for investigation in the foreign funding case. …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7(ABC): Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that high-level cyber security protocols will be implemented at the PM House after a series of audio leaks raised questions over the safety measures adopted at the residence of the country’s chief executive. He was speaking at a press conference in the federal capital after chairing the first meeting of …

BEIJING, Oct 7(ABC): A Chinese team has realized, for the first time in the world, the ultra-high-precision time-frequency dissemination, a technique to monitor and synchronize clocks, over a long distance, more than 100 kilometers. The scientific achievement could help set higher standards for the global timing, navigation and positioning, the wide-area quantum communication and the testing of physics basic principles. …

CANBERRA, Oct 7(ABC): An Australian start-up has announced a plan to grow plants on the Moon as early as 2025. Lunaria One on Friday launched its Australian Lunar Experiment Promoting Horticulture (ALEPH) — a collaborative project with institutions including the Australian National University (ANU) to investigate whether plant life can thrive on the lunar surface. Caitlin Byrt, an associate professor …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7 (ABC): Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Friday said that the consumers of the electricity would be given relief in fuel adjustment price in next month’s electricity bills. Speaking in the National Assembly, he said, the reduction in oil prices at the international market and appreciation of the rupee against the dollar has helped to slash the fuel …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7(ABC): The government will hike the tariff for cash-strapped gas utilities of the country if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gives a nod to it, The News reported on Wednesday. The decision to seek the premier’s approval was taken in a meeting under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the federal capital. It was also attended by former prime minister …

LONDON, Oct 7(ABC):  PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz met her father, Nawaz at the Avenfield apartments in London after three years, reported on Friday. Maryam received a rousing welcome from the party workers outside the Avenfield apartments. She thanked the party activists for the welcome. However, she could not talk to the media owing to the rush and stepped inside the …

Oct 7(ABC): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Chairman PTI Imran Khan is waiting for the umpire to raise his finger by any means, on Friday. “Khan sahib desperately seeks any umpire to raise his finger, whether forcibly,” he said, in an exclusive interview. “However, Imran’s effort regarding the umpire’s finger is bound to fail.” The PTI takes a U-turn after …

Oct 7(ABC): Fast-food French fries and onion rings are going high-tech, thanks to a company in Southern California. Miso Robotics Inc in Pasadena has started rolling out its Flippy 2 robot, which automates the process of deep frying potatoes, onions and other foods. A big robotic arm like those in auto plants — directed by cameras and artificial intelligence — takes frozen …

Oct 7(ABC): Two substances in the saliva of wax worms — moth larvae that eat wax made by bees to build honeycombs — readily break down a common type of plastic, researchers said on Tuesday, in a potential advance in the global fight against plastic pollution. The researchers said the two enzymes identified in the caterpillar saliva were found to rapidly …

PESHAWAR, Oct 7(ABC): One terrorist was killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Mattani area of Peshawar, military’s media wing said on Thursday. According to a statement released by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Security Forces conducted an Intelligence Based Operation in the general area Mattani, Peshawar. During the conduct of the operation, an intense fire exchange took place …

SINGAPORE, Oct 7(ABC): Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) Thursday downgraded the Government of Pakistan’s local and foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to Caa1 from B3 — after seven years. Moody’s has also downgraded the rating for the senior unsecured Medium Term Note (MTN) programme to (P)Caa1 from (P)B3. It should be noted that the outlook remains negative. Commenting …

Oct 7(ABC): A debate was held in the European Parliament‘s plenary sessions in Strasbourg, France, last evening, regarding the humanitarian situation following the devastating floods in Pakistan. The debate was aimed at discussing the EU response to the situation in Pakistan and how to mitigate the extreme weather consequences of the climate-induced crisis. The Ambassador of Pakistan to the European …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7(ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday took a jibe at PTI Chairman Imran Khan and called him the “biggest fraudster” as he denied any involvement of the coalition government in the audio leaks controversy. “I can swear to God he [Khan] is a fraudster and has tried to create rifts in important institutions of Pakistan,” he said while …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7(ABC):President Arif Alvi Thursday reiterated that free and fair elections remain in demand, suggesting the adoption of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to ensure transparency in the electoral process. The president was addressing a joint session of the Parliament to mark the beginning of the last parliamentary year of the current National Assembly. “How will Pakistan stabilise, if every …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7(ABC): Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Thursday asked PTI to inform the court about its intention of returning to Parliament in five days but stopped short of issuing an order on a petition filed by the lawmakers whose resignations have been accepted. IHC CJ Athar Minallah remarked that the court cannot issue orders to …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 7(ABC):  Between six and nine million Pakistanis are set to be dragged into poverty as a result of cataclysmic monsoon flooding linked to climate change, the World Bank said on Thursday. Pakistan has been lashed by unprecedented monsoon rains this year which killed 1,700, devastated two million homes, and put a third of the nation underwater. Eight million …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 6(ABC): A sessions court of Islamabad approved the interim bail plea of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the case regarding his controversial remarks against a female judge during a rally in Islamabad, till October 13. Khan was booked in a case for threatening judicial magistrate Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park on August 20, to …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 6(ABC): Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial Thursday remarked that PTI leader and former federal minister Faisal Vawda renounced his US nationality after submitting the nomination papers for the 2018 election. The chief justice made these remarks during a hearing of a petition filed by Faisal Vawda against his lifetime disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over filing false …

KARACHI, Oct 6(ABC): In line with the dominant trend over the last several weeks, the country’s foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) once again declined by 1.32% falling below the psychological level of ?$8 billion, On September 30, the foreign currency reserves held by the SBP were recorded at $7,899.8 million, down $106 million compared …

Oct 6(ABC): PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has taken a jibe at PTI for trying to “divert” attention from floods while millions still await assistance, saying that there is no time for politics now. Bilawal said this while addressing a press conference in Karachi on Thursday. The foreign minister, while sharing Sindh’s updated statistics of the people affected and lands …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 6(ABC): Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Wednesday said that former prime minister Imran Khan could have raised objections on the amendments in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law if he had stayed in the National Assembly. The judge remarked this while questioning Imran Khan’s decision to abandon National Assembly, as the apex court’s three-member bench resumed the …

Oct 6(ABC): The armed forces have distanced itself from the politics and want to stay out of it in the future as well, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said. The statement came during the army chief’s address at a luncheon at Pakistani embassy in Washington. Gen Bajwa also reiterated his resolve to leave after the completion …

ISLAMABAD, Oct 6(ABC):  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Wednesday announced providing flood-relief support of $2.3-$2.5 billion to Pakistan as the cash-strapped nation seeks funding following the climate-induced catastrophe. The deluge has impacted 33 million people out of a population of 220 million, and caused damage the government estimates at $30 billion as crops, roads, livestock, bridges, houses, schools, and medical facilities …

WASHINGTON, Oct 6(ABC):  Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that debt restructuring is not in the talks with any lender at the moment, not even China. The minister’s comments came during an interview with Nikkei Asia when he was visiting the United States last month. FM Bilawal said that China is called Pakistan’s “all-weather friend” for a reason; however, debt restructuring is not being …

GUJRANWALA, Oct 6(ABC): PTI Chairman Imran Khan Wednesday directed his organisation’s office holders to ensure that thousands of the party’s workers gather in Islamabad during the “Azadi March”. The PTI chairman — who became the first prime minister to be voted out of office in April — has held a series of protests against the incumbent government and he plans on staging …