ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): A delegation of Japanese investors called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Thursday and discussed matters related to investment in Pakistan. The delegation of BPS Investment Group led by founder Takaji Tsuji during the meeting expressed its interest to make an investment of $ one billion in the different sectors of the Pakistani economy. The prime …

GWADAR, August 11(ABC): The Pakistan Navy on Wednesday saved nine crew members of an Indian vessel after it drowned in the Arabian Sea near Gwadar, according to the Director-General Public Relations. “The navy immediately responded to the distress call and the Pakistan Maritime Information Centre requested a nearby merchant ship ‘MT KRUIBEKE’ to provide necessary assistance to the stranded crew …

ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Thursday proposed constituting a ‘Parliamentary Oversight Committee’ to resolve the issues related to minorities especially the forced conversion.  Addressing a Minority Convention organized by National Assembly here at National Assembly Hall, the foreign minister said that the forced conversion was not allowed in our constitution, besides Islam also prohibited conversion to Islam …

ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday said the ministers of Punjab cabinet and leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did not condemn the ‘seditious’ statements of Shahbaz Gill which reflected that it was in fact the true policy of the party. Addressing a press conference here, Tarar claimed that Shahbaz Gill had confessed during …

ISLAMABAD, Aug 11 (ABC): Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, Dr Riina Kionka and Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Miftah Ismail here on Thursday discussed matters of mutual interest and cooperation including progress on Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Plus. The discussion was made during a call on meeting of the ambassador with Miftah Ismail, according to press …

ISLAMABAD, Aug 11 (APP):Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was trying to divert public’s attention from his foreign funding and Tosha Khana case by playing a ‘toxic game’ against the state institutions which included a “despicable” social media campaign against the military martyrs. “Imran Khan cannot divert the attention …

ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that they will tell the nation in the August 13 rally in Lahore how to take Haqiqi Azadi (real independence). Addressing a convention in Islamabad organized in line with National Minorities Day, the ex-PM said that no society could progress unless people were granted …

ISLAMABAD: Former minister for information and broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry Thursday berated the coalition government, saying that it has “started a new episode of barbarism”. Speaking during a press conference, the PTI leader said that the government was “forcefully picking up women and children and inflicting violence upon them”. Earlier today, the Islamabad Police took the wife of Shahbaz Gill’s driver …

PESHAWAR/ ISLAMBAD, August 11(ABC): Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said the law-and-order situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) was worsening because Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government had previously welcomed the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Asif expressed these views on the floor of the National Assembly while responding to MNA Mohsin Dawar, who had voiced concern over the increase in incidences of terrorism …

ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the sustained high-level exchanges between Pakistan and the European Union was vital to further strengthen the growing partnership. The prime minister, in a meeting with the newly appointed Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan Dr. Riina Kionka who called on him here, said that Pakistan attached great importance to …

ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked the political parties to submit their consolidated statement of accounts for the financial year 2021-22 by August 29. According to the ECP spokesman, political parties were required in terms of Section 210 of the Elections Act, 2017 read with Section 204 of the Act and rule 159 and 160 …

ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): President Dr. Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have expressed the government s resolve to achieve the noble objective of building an inclusive society in line with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. In their separate messages on the occasion of National Day of Minorities, they resolved to make all efforts to safeguard minorities  …

LAHORE, August 11(ABC): Pakistan has reported one death in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of confirmed positive cases has surged to 1,561,055. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 30,509 on Thursday. According to the latest figures by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 353 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 across …

ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): An agreement on the letter of intent (LoI) appears likely to be received before the weekend, according to officials, as Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the release of two tranches worth $1.17 billion under a stalled loan facility trudges closer the finish line. The Fund is likely to send an LoI “anytime soon” …

KARACHI, August 11(ABC): After taking a battering last month, the Pakistan rupee continued its recovery against the US dollar on Thursday, with the local currency making gains against the greenback for the eighth consecutive session. As per the Exchange Companies Association Pakistan (ECAP), the dollar depreciated by Rs2.70 and is being traded at Rs 219.21 during intraday trade in the …

ISLAMABAD, , August 11(ABC): PTI chairperson and former prime minister Imran Khan Wednesday said that the coalition government has hatched a plan to create rifts between the PTI and the Pakistan Army. Addressing his supporters via a video link, the former prime minister said that the incumbent government has “conspired against the biggest party in Pakistan”. “They [government] had issues …

ISLAMABAD, August 11(ABC): The PTI leadership will also be arrested if an investigation proves that Shahbaz Gill’s anti-military narrative was determined by them, says Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah. He also said that PTI Chairperson Imran Khan will be disqualified thanks to his misdeclaration in the Toshakhana case. On August 9, the Islamabad police officers arrested Shahbaz Gill for “inciting …

RAWALPINDI, August 11(ABC): Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa termed terrorism a “global threat” that has the “potential” to destabilise the region and called for a “well-coordinated response” to counter it. As per the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the COAS passed the remark in a meeting with Commander Iraqi Navy Lieutenant General Ahmed Jasim Maarij Abdullah Al …

WEB DESK, August 10(ABC): Meta-owned messaging app WhatsApp will roll out an updated feature of the message emoji reaction for the beta version of Windows, according to WABetaInfo. The latest update will allow web users to react to messages with any emoji, which is, at the moment, restricted to six messages. In the image of the web version’s beta update, …

WEB DESK, August 10(ABC): Snap, owner of the popular messaging app Snapchat, rolled out its first parental control tools on Tuesday, which will allow parents to see who their teens are talking to, but not the substance of their conversations. The new feature called Family Centre is launching at a time when social media companies have been criticised over a …

WEB DESK, August 10(ABC): Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg Tuesday revealed three new privacy features for WhatsApp, saying they will keep building new ways to protect the messages. The US billionaire announced the development on his official Facebook page. “New privacy features coming to WhatsApp: exit group chats without notifying everyone, control who can see when you’re online, and prevent screenshots …

ISLAMABAD, August 10(ABC): The PTI challenged on Wednesday the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) ruling in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking annulment of the order in the prohibited funding case. In his petition filed with the IHC, PTI Additional Secretary-General Omar Ayub asked the court to not only nullify the August 2 ruling, but also revoke the ECP’s show-cause …

LAHORE, August 10(ABC): Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi Wednesday advised the PTI leadership, including party chairperson Imran Khan, to distance itself from Shahbaz Gill’s statement, which allegedly attempted to incite hatred within the Pakistan Army’s ranks. “Tehreek-e-Insaf’s leadership should definitely distance itself from Shahbaz Gill’s statement. Even I issued a statement against it,” the chief minister said. Today, a court …

ISLAMABAD, August 10(ABC): Pakistan has logged 352 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours amid a slight countrywide uptick in the positivity ratio, the National Institute of Health, Islamabad (NIH) data showed Wednesday morning. As per the latest statistics, the new infections were detected after diagnostic testing on 13,325 samples by the national COVID regulating body. After the …

ISLAMABAD, August 10(ABC): A court in the federal capital Wednesday morning approved a two-day physical remand of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill in a sedition case. The case hearing took place amid strict security arrangements, with duty magistrate Umar Shabbir ordering police to present the PTI leader in court on Friday. During the brief proceedings, police requested a remand of the …

KARACHI, August 10(ABC): Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail Tuesday said that macro-economic stability will come along with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme resuming, which is expected to be finalised by the end of August as all conditionalities have been met. During a meeting with the leadership of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), the finance minister said …

ISLAMABAD, August 10(ABC): Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Tuesday warned the TV channels and issued directives to prevent them from spreading propaganda, misinformation and disinformation against state institutions. According to the regulatory body, the misinformation and disinformation spread by the news, programme anchors, guests or analysts cast aspersions against the institutions. The statement issued by PEMRA said that the …

ISLAMABAD, August 10(ABC): Following senior PTI leader Shahbaz Gill’s arrest, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Tuesday said that his comments — on the basis of which he has been taken into custody — were a part of the planned conspiracy to create division within the military. Addressing a press conference flanked by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the interior minister said that …

ISLAMABAD, August 10(ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday reviewed the progress and resolved to further strengthen ties with United Arab Emirates during a telephone call with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders recalled the decisions taken during the visit of PM Shehbaz to the UAE in …

RAWALPINDI, August 8(ABC): Reacting to the coalition government’s move to file references against the PTI chairman in prohibited funding and Toshakhana cases, former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Tuesday warned that attempts to arrest Imran Khan or break the party would trigger “bloody politics” in the country. Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Rasheed said that the security of the …

KARACHI, August 9(ABC): Youm-e-Ashur is being observed today across the country with religious reverence and solemnity to pay homage to the supreme sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his devoted companions in Karbala (Iraq). Muharram is the month of mourning for the seventh-century martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of the last Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). …

ISLAMABAD, August 9(ABC): The federal government has expanded the scope of investigations into the smear campaign launched against the military officers who were martyred in the Lasbela helicopter crash, including the officials from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in a six-member inquiry committee established to ascertain the facts. The Pakistan Army helicopter carrying a senior commander …

KARACHI, August 9(ABC): Expressing concerns over the prolonged delay in the implementation of the agreement made with the MQM-P, the party urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to play his role in this critical situation. The MQM-P coordination committee held an important meeting at its Bahadurabad office to discuss the implementation status of the party’s agreements with the federal and Sindh …

RAWALPINDI, August 9(ABC): Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Bill Gates held a telephone conversation and exchanged views on the health situation including the complete eradication of polio from Pakistan, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). During the telephonic conversation, Bill Gates lauded the Pakistan army’s efforts in …

KARACHI, August 9(ABC): Pakistan’s coronavirus positivity rate dropped to 2.53% as the country reported 421 fresh cases of the pathogen during the past 24 hours, data from the National Institute of Health (NIH) showed Tuesday morning. According to the latest statistics issued by the NIH, the country reported 421 infections when 16,648 tests were conducted overnight, taking the country’s total …

RAWALPINDI, August 8(ABC): Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid has been posted as commander of the Bahawalpur Corps, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Monday. In a statement, the military’s media wing announced two new appointment’s apart from Lt Gen Hamid, who was previously posted as the commander of the Peshawar Corps. In his place, the military’s media wing said Lieutenant General …

ISLAMABAD, August 8(ABC): Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Monday warned the PTI leadership that they will not be allowed to create chaos and only a peaceful rally in Islamabad will be allowed on August 13. The minister visited the house of Brigadier Khalid who embraced martyrdom in the helicopter crash in Lasbela. He said that Imran Khan is a ‘foreign …

ISLAMABAD: A vehicle carrying senior commanders of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), including Omar Khalid Khorasani, has been targeted with a mysterious explosive device in eastern Afghanistan, according to Afghan officials and locals sources. “A vehicle reportedly carrying TTP Mohmand chief Omar Khalid Khorasani, aka Abdul Wali Mohmand, Mufti Hassan and Hafiz Dawlat Khan, was targeted in Sharki village, near …

ISLAMABAD, August 8(ABC): Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated Arshad Nadeem for winning gold medal in the Javelian throw competition at the Commonwealth Games. In a tweet on Monday, he said Arshad Nadeem has made Pakistan proud. The PM said Arshad’s consistency, passion and hard work hold lessons for our youth. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar …

LAHORE, August 8(ABC): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to move the venue of its August 13 public rally to Lahore from Islamabad. It has originally announced that it will hold the rally at Islamabad’s Parade Ground, where its workers were to make an overnight stay and then commemorate Independence Day on August 14. However, the PTI political committee in …