Author: newsdesk

  • Names of politicians not paying their electricity bills made public

    Names of politicians not paying their electricity bills made public

    In a shocking revelation, the Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) has unveiled a roster of prominent individuals who have failed to meet their obligations regarding electricity payments. 

    According to Samaa, this list comprises former Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), Senators, and individuals associated with the transportation industry, thereby bringing to light the substantial unpaid dues of these notable figures. 

    According to a QESCO spokesperson, the most significant defaulter on this list is none other than the former Federal Minister, Mir Hamayoun Aziz Kurd, who is currently indebted to the tune of an astounding Rs4.95 million. 

    Following closely behind, we find former Provincial Minister Asim Kurd with an outstanding balance of Rs2.06 million, while former Interior Minister Mir Zia Ullah Langau’s dues are accounted for at Rs1.57 million. 

    Among other noteworthy entries on this list, former Provincial Minister Zafar Zehri is recorded with unpaid bills totaling Rs1.16 million, former MNA Abdul Qahar Uddin with an outstanding amount of Rs916,253, and former Provincial Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran showing Rs468,770 in unsettled bills. 

    This compilation also reveals that Feroz Lehri, a prominent transporter, owes QESCO a sum of Rs493,310, while Senator Naseeb Ullah Bazai has failed to clear Rs447,810 in unpaid bills. Additionally, former MPA Haji Ahmed Nawaz’s dues amount to Rs179,009, and tribal leader Wadera Sheeren Marri has an unsettled bill of Rs86,953. 

    KESCO, in response to the rampant issue of electricity theft across Balochistan, including Quetta, has undertaken rigorous measures. According to the spokesperson, a total of 322 cases have been registered against electricity thieves, resulting in the apprehension of 122 individuals.  

    Quetta leads with the highest number of cases at 64, followed by Loralai with 75, Khuzdar with 65, Sibi with 88, and Pishin with 25 cases. In addition to these, 5 cases have been filed in Makran. 

    Read more: Govt considers substantial gas tariff hike as energy concerns loom 

    The stringent crackdown on electricity theft has culminated in the collection of approximately Rs75 million in fines from the culprits, with Rs42.6 million already successfully recovered.  

    In response to non-payment issues in Balochistan, authorities have seized 15 transformers, and an additional 6 illegal transformers have been confiscated. Furthermore, 435 defaulters in Quetta, Loralai, Khuzdar, Pishin, Sibi, and Makran have had their connections disconnected due to their persistent outstanding bills. 

  • Govt considers substantial gas tariff hike as energy concerns loom 

    Govt considers substantial gas tariff hike as energy concerns loom 

    Caretaker Minister for Energy, Muhammad Ali, addressed concerns about gas prices during a visit to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), accompanied by Caretaker Federal Minister for Commerce, Industries, and Production, Gohar Ejaz.

    He revealed that impending announcements would detail changes in gas prices, acknowledging that gas prices have consistently been a matter of concern. According to Dawn, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) had proposed a 45–50 per cent gas tariff increase earlier in the year to meet revenue requirements for gas utilities. However, the government has not yet made a formal decision. 

    Ali emphasised regional disparities in gas prices, with the North having higher prices than the South. He also discussed the challenges of inadequate long-term LNG contracts and efforts to combat electricity theft. He noted that while steps were being taken to reduce energy price disparities, an overnight reduction was impossible due to the country’s commitment to the IMF programme. 

    Commerce Minister Ejaz highlighted efforts to address issues related to Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) and its impact on the dollar rate. He pointed out that industry inputs, raw materials, and energy prices were vulnerable to international market fluctuations, affecting exports due to currency devaluation. However, recent measures have stabilised the exchange rate. 

    Read more: IMF urges Pakistan to increase taxation on the rich and ‘protect the poor’

    Ejaz also stressed that currency devaluation had hindered export growth and highlighted how disparities in gas supply and prices hampered development efforts nationwide. He called for unity and collaboration, emphasising that traders were vital assets for the country’s strength and prosperity. 

    Notably, the caretaker government had recently raised petrol and high-speed diesel prices, leading to widespread criticism and sporadic protests due to the significant price surge amid high inflation. 

  • Major weather change on its way in Pakistan

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a forecast for heavy rainfall spanning from September 22 to September 24, affecting various regions of the country. Read the story to see if it will rain in your city or not.

    Met Office has confirmed that weak to moderate moist currents from the Arabian Sea are likely to penetrate in upper parts of the country from September 22, 2023. A westerly wave is also likely to affect the upper parts on September 22.

    Under the influence of this weather system rain/wind-thundershowers (with few moderate to heavy falls) are expected in:

    Kashmir (Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur)

    Gilgit Baltistan (Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar)

    Punjab: Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura.

    Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kurram, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Kohat, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera from 22nd to 24th September with occasional gaps.

    Rain/wind-thundershower is also expected in Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Karak, Waziristan, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Bhakkar, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan and Bahawalnagar on 23rd & 24th September with occasional gaps.

    Possible Impacts:

    Moderate to heavy falls may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Lahore, Gujranwala, and Rawalpindi on the said dates.

    Moderate to heavy rains may trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra & Abbottabad from September 22-24.

    Farmers are advised to manage their crop activities accordingly. Tourists and travelers are advised to remain cautious to avoid any untoward situation during the period.

    Wind thunderstorms may damage loose structures like electric poles, solar panels, etc. The general public is advised to stay at safe places during windstorms/lightning/moderate/heavy rains.

  • Sophie Turner sues Joe Jonas for custody of their daughters, says she found out about divorce through media

    Sophie Turner sues Joe Jonas for custody of their daughters, says she found out about divorce through media

    Yesterday, TMZ reported actress Sophie Turner has sued her ex-husband Joe Jonas for custody of their two daughters. According to the lawsuit filled in a Manhattan court, the legal team of the ‘Game Of Thrones’ star said that the couple had planned on moving to England to make it their “forever home”. Turner said the couple had sold their Miami home and were in the process of purchasing a home in the English countryside in April, and in the summer Sophie began working on ‘Joan’, a miniseries. During this time, documents reveal, Joe begun touring with his band ‘The Jonas Brothers’ in the summer, and the couple decided their children would stay with the father as he had more daytime hours available than Sophie who was filming, but shared the actress was “hesitant” about the agreement.

    The most shocking part of the documents was that Sophie found out about the divorce from media reports, after Joe filed for divorce on September 5 when the couple had an argument on August 15.

    On the issue of custody, the documents state that when the couple met to discuss the next step after their split, Joe was found to have a change of heart and rejected the plan to move to England. Turner says Joe’s legal team confirmed with Sophie’s that the children would not be returning to England and did not provide their passports.

    “The Father has possession of the children’s passports. He refuses to return the passports to the Mother and refuses to send the children home to England with the Mother.”

    Joe’s PR team has responded to the lawsuit and in a statement to People magazine, a representative for the singer says Sophie was aware about the divorce proceedings.

    “After multiple conversations with Sophie, Joe initiated divorce proceedings in Florida, as Florida is the appropriate jurisdiction for the case. Sophie was aware that Joe was going to file for divorce.”

    “Joe and Sophie had a cordial meeting this past Sunday in New York, when Sophie came to New York to be with the kids. They have been with her since that meeting. Joe’s impression of the meeting was that they had reached an understanding that they would work together towards an amicable co-parenting setup,” the statement added.

    Joe and Sophie Turner tied the knot in 2019 in a small ceremony in Vegas, and later in Paris, with their family and friends present. Reports of their divorce showed up on September 6 when sources told TMZ that Sophie was to blame for the breakdown of the marriage, claiming the actress was a drinker and partied a lot while the singer was the opposite. The reports were slammed by social media users who criticised the misogynist narrative used by Joe and his PR team to frame Sophie as a bad mother.

  • Karachi University Teachers’ Society boycott classes

    Karachi University Teachers’ Society boycott classes

    Karachi University Teachers’ Society (KUTS) held a meeting on Thursday, announcing a boycott of teaching classes from Friday (today), demanding the Chief Minister of Sindh to take immediate notice of the administrative crisis at the University of Karachi.

    Express Tribune spoke with KUTS secretary, Faizan Naqvi, who explained that regular and visiting faculty members have not received their evening program salaries for over a year and a half, and the total amount owed exceeds Rs70 million.

    This means that the evening program is operating at a loss.

    Naqvi highlighted that all university employees are being paid their salaries except for the teachers. Currently, there are around 250 permanent teachers for the part-time evening program.

    Demands

    Karachi University Teachers Association has announced a complete boycott of the teaching process from Friday. The decision to boycott was taken in a general body meeting organised by the teachers association.

    The teachers’ association has also demanded an investigation by the commission for the non-approval of the university budget for six years.

    The participants of the meeting expressed their anger over the appointment of part-time teachers at six hundred rupees per lecture and non-payment of salaries to them for more than six months and a year.

    They demanded that the dues evening classes should be paid in full and on an immediate basis.

    Moreover, they pressed upon the restoration of exemption in MPhil and PhD fees should be restored immediately.

    They highlighted that handling of administrative matters is the responsibility of the Sheikh-ul-Jamia and the management team, not the teachers. That being said, ad hoc Assistant Professor appointment of Ph.D. teachers approved by the syndicate should also be restored.

    The meeting demanded for immediate release of funds for the revival of research in the university; that the budget of the university, which has not been approved for the last six years, is financial corruption and must be investigated by a commission. The hike announced in Budget 2023 should be included in salaries without delay.

  • Pakistan imports tea worth Rs31.64 billion in just two months 

    Pakistan imports tea worth Rs31.64 billion in just two months 

    According to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Pakistan’s imports of food items in the first two months of the fiscal year 2023–24 amounted to Rs378.98 billion. 

    The PBS data reveals that during this two-month period, Pakistan imported tea worth Rs31.64 billion, a notable increase from Rs20.23 billion during the corresponding period in the previous year.  

    Additionally, Pakistan imported palm oil valued at Rs158.7 billion and soybean oil worth Rs13.56 billion. 

    Furthermore, Pakistan imported pulses worth Rs48.25 billion and dry fruits valued at over Rs2 billion during the same two-month period. 

    It is worth noting that in July, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) lifted all import restrictions as part of its efforts to meet the conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 

    Read more: Pakistani rupee gains value, now at Rs292.78 per US dollar 

    The central bank issued a circular to abolish these import restrictions and authorised banks to facilitate remittances to clear more than 6,000 containers. 

    The SBP clarified in the circular that remittances would be made available for all imports following the implementation of the latest order. 

  • PCB announces squad for cricket World Cup 2023

    PCB announces squad for cricket World Cup 2023

    The selection committee of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq has announced the 18-member national squad for World Cup 2023 during a press conference.

    Inzamam-ul-Haq said that Babar Azam will remain captain and Shadab Khan will be vice-captain.Fast bowler Naseem Shah is not part of the national squad due to injury.

    Players included in the national squad for the World Cup:

    Babar Azam (Captain), Shadab Khan (Vice Captain), Abdullah Shafiq, Pride of time, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Muhammad Wasim Jr, Hasan Ali, Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Osama Mir.

    Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed and Zaman Khan have been kept in the reserve players.

    It should be noted that the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is starting in India from October 5, for which teams have started arriving in India.

    Read More: Canadian Punjabi rapper’s India tour cancelled as diplomatic row continues

    Pakistan’s first World Cup match is against Netherlands on October 6, before which the national team will play warp matches.

  • Khan ‘worried’ about change of judge in Zeba Chaudhry case, says Khan’s lawyer

    Khan ‘worried’ about change of judge in Zeba Chaudhry case, says Khan’s lawyer

    The legal team of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that the change of the judge hearing the Zeba Chaudhry case against Imran Khan is quite shocking for the former prime minister.

    “The PTI chairman was shocked and worried at the change of the judge hearing the Judge Zeba Chaudhry case,” said one of the PTI chief’s legal counsels, Salman Safdar, in a media talk outside the Attock jail after meeting his client.

    Justice Malik Aman should not have been changed at this critical time, the lawyer said, as he was going to announce the decision soon.

    Salman Safdar also said that the former prime minister apologised to Judge Zeba Chaudhry in her court for passing remarks against her in a public rally.

    In August last year, Imran Khan was booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act for threatening additional sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and other police officers of the Islamabad police in a public gathering.

  • Asif Zardari meets with PML-Q President Shujaat Hussain ahead of elections

    Asif Zardari meets with PML-Q President Shujaat Hussain ahead of elections

    In a significant development in the lead-up to general elections, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari met with PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at the latter’s residence on Thursday, hours after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the last week of January as the election date. Election strategies including the possibility of forming an alliance and coordinated seat allocations in Punjab were discussed in the meeting.

    The 40-minute meeting focused on the current political landscape of Pakistan with Zardari also inquiring about Sujaat’s health. While official details of their discussions were not disclosed, PPP’s central media cell took to X (former Twitter) to confirm the meeting, stating that Mr. Zardari had discussed the prevailing political situation with PML-Q President Shujaat Hussain.

    As per the empowerment given to Zardari by the PPP executive committee to meet top political leaders to secure seat adjustments in Punjab, he has strategically positioned himself in Lahore to spearhead his efforts.

    On the other hand, PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Organizer Maryam Nawaz will meet party leader Nawaz Sharif in London to discuss the changing political situation and to formulate election strategies.

    Sources have told Dawn that PPP is considering seat adjustments not only with PML-N and PML-Q but also with PTI, as hinted at by its second-tier leadership. While senior PML-N leaders have maintained silence on the possibility of an alliance with PPP, lower-ranking leaders have expressed their opposition, arguing that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was created with the sole purpose of removing Imran Khan from power and completing the remainder of the previous government’s term.

    Shujaat also suggested his former coalition allies, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), to avoid confrontations that he believes are detrimental to the country’s interests.

    In response to Shujaat’s call for unity and harmony, Zardari asserted that his party had not contributed to any actions that could exacerbate political divisions. Zardari went on to emphasize that his party’s discourse was firmly anchored in constitutional principles and the ground realities of Pakistan, with no intentions of provoking confrontations with any political entities. Zardari further underscored the detrimental impact of escalating rhetoric and confrontations on the stability of the country.

    Chaudhry Shujaa also conveyed his intention to engage with Nawaz Sharif, the supreme leader of the PML-N, to emphasize the need to avert unnecessary political hostilities.

    Thursday’s meeting saw the presence of former federal minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain and PML-Q Punjab President Chaudhry Shafay Hussain. At this crucial juncture of alliance exploration, PPP General Secretary Nayyer Hussain Bukhari firmly announced that the party had no intentions of entering into electoral alliances with any other party.

  • Pakistan plans to establish 5,000 e-working centres to empower freelancers 

    Pakistan plans to establish 5,000 e-working centres to empower freelancers 

    Dr Umar Saif, the Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications, has announced a significant government initiative to establish 5,000 collaborative e-working centres designed specifically for freelancers.  

    In a recent statement, Minister Saif unveiled plans to provide interest-free loans for the creation of these joint E-Working Centres, with the primary goal of facilitating freelancers and, in turn, generating millions of job opportunities throughout the country.  

    A press release from the Ministry, issued on Thursday, also highlighted Minister Saif’s commitment to attracting global investors to support startup ventures. Additionally, he mentioned an upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia to further these discussions.  

    Furthermore, Minister Saif emphasised a positive dialogue with Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, focusing on a comprehensive 5-point agenda centred on the IT sector. One key topic of discussion was the issue of retaining dollars within the IT industry.   

    According to Geo News, the Ministry believes that addressing this matter will not only repatriate overseas IT accounts to Pakistan and restore investor confidence but also enhance the inflow of foreign currency into the country, consequently boosting the volume of IT exports.  

    Separately, Minister Saif stressed the need for the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) to redefine its role. He proposed that the PSEB should actively assist IT companies in securing international clients and expanding their businesses on the global stage, ultimately promoting the image of Pakistan in the international market.  

    During the 58th meeting of the PSEB, Minister Saif underlined Pakistan’s unique strengths in terms of IT professionals and its favourable time zone. He emphasised the importance of presenting Pakistan’s IT/ITeS products to the world effectively. He suggested that the PSEB should collaborate with Pakistan’s trade and commerce missions in embassies worldwide to support the growth of exports by Pakistani IT companies.  

    In a directive to the PSEB, Minister Saif urged the expedited implementation of all necessary measures to train 200,000 IT professionals, with the goal of contributing $5 billion to the country’s IT exports. The meeting also delved into discussions concerning the IT industry and strategies for increasing investment within Pakistan.