Author: newsdesk

  • Libya floods: 3,000 dead, 10,000 missing

    Libya floods: 3,000 dead, 10,000 missing

    Around 3,000 people have died while 10,000 are missing and 20,000 people have been displaced since heavy floods have hit eastern Libya, multiple international news outlets have said.

    Aid is being sent to Benghazi via plane carrying 14 tonnes of supplies and medical personnel even though the hard-hit areas are still difficult to reach.

    Additionally, relief convoys are being sent from west to east in divided Libya as the eastern region has been deemed a disaster zone by the internationally recognised Tripoli government.

    However, according to Al-Jazeera, “Authorities have struggled to reach Derna, because roads leading to the city are destroyed or cut off by flooding.” Moreover, communications with the city have been broken off, hindering information collection on casualties and damage.

    According to the Benghazi administration, more than 1,000 bodies have been recovered from the Mediterranean city of Derna.

    Storm Daniel

    Storm Daniel hit eastern Libya on Monday, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Two dams on the Wadi Derna River were destroyed and consequently, millions of cubic metres of water swept through the area.

    Al-Jazeera also spoke with National Council on Libya-US Relations who stated that “About 4sq km [1.5sq miles] at the heart of the city have been eroded completely.”

    Moreover, Tamer Ramadan, a member of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation to Libya, referred to the issue of dealing with the flood that is “beyond the capabilities of the government, of the national society, of the people” and that assistance from international actors would be needed.

    Benghazi Minister of Civil Aviation Hichem Chkiouat managed to visit Derna and spoke with Reuters, “Bodies are lying everywhere – in the sea, in the valleys, under the buildings.”

    “I am not exaggerating when I say that 25 percent of the city has disappeared,” he added.

  • Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan on October 21, Shehbaz confirms

    Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan on October 21, Shehbaz confirms

    The president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Tuesday that PML-N head Nawaz Sharif will return to the country on October 21, Geo News has reported.

    “Nawaz Sharif will reach Pakistan on October 21,” Shehbaz told Geo after a meeting of the top leadership of PML-N in London, headed by the party’s head.

    While speaking to the media after the high-level party huddle in London, Shehbaz said that the date for Nawaz’s return was finalised after consultation with party members.

    The former prime minister mentioned that the credit for starting big development projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and an end to load-shedding in the country “goes to Nawaz”.

    “Nawaz returned with thanks the package which was offered to him for not making Pakistan a nuclear power, saying that Pakistan’s interest was much more valuable than $5 billion,” Shehbaz further said.

  • Chinese woman holds 16 corporate jobs for three years without showing up

    Chinese woman holds 16 corporate jobs for three years without showing up

    A Chinese woman, identified only as Guan Yue under a pseudonym, was recently exposed for a remarkable three-year involvement in a complex labor-fraud operation, as reported by local media. 

    Guan Yue’s participation encompassed maintaining 16 distinct corporate positions without physically attending any of them, contributing to a staggering labour-fraud scheme valued at nearly $7 million, according to China’s state-owned newspaper, Xinmin.

    The report detailed Guan’s meticulous record-keeping, in which she meticulously documented each hiring opportunity on paper. During job interviews, she would post images from these interviews on her company’s internal communication channels, misleading colleagues by implying client meetings. 

    As the volume of job offers exceeded her capacity, Guan would delegate these positions to acquaintances, earning a commission in the process. It’s important to note that Insider was unable to independently verify the details of this extensive investigation.

    Xinmin highlighted the pervasive nature of such labour fraud in China, with an estimated 700–800 organised groups regularly exploiting multiple job opportunities from employers. These groups have honed their skills in securing employment, mastering the art of interviews, and presenting impressive, albeit fraudulent, resumes.

    Remarkably, when their deception is exposed, these cases are seldom treated as criminal offences; instead, they are typically resolved through employment law channels, a system these groups have become increasingly adept at navigating. 

    In a notable instance, one of these groups successfully infiltrated a company, placing a member in the role of HR representative, who subsequently hired the rest of the group, as disclosed by the newspaper.

  • Sara Sharif case: Urfan Sharif’s five children sent to Child Protection Bureau

    Sara Sharif case: Urfan Sharif’s five children sent to Child Protection Bureau

    In a recent development in the Sara Sharif case, Jhelum police have shifted Urfan Sharif’s five children to the Child Protection Bureau in Lahore

    A day before, Sharif’s children, found in their grandfather’s house, were taken into protective custody by the police as the hunt continues for their father and stepmother.

    The children have been shifted to the Bureau after a local court granted permission to the police to do so. The children are said to be in the Bureau’s custody till the parents, Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool, are found and arrested.

    Dawn spoke with Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer (RPO) Syed Khurram Ali, who stated that the parents as well as Urfan Sharif’s brother (and Sara’s uncle) are still on the run and the police is “conducting raids at possible hideouts for their arrests”.

    He also clarified that the three suspects cannot flee Pakistan as FIA’s Immigration Wing has put staff on alert at all airports.

    Additionally, the parent’s relatives have not been complying and have even approached Lahore High Court against the police, claiming that the police have illegally detained around 10 relatives of Urfan. “The court was being misled through fabricated information”, RPO added.

    Dawn highlighted that the police had interrogated 10 to 15 of the relatives on Saturday in the search to pinpoint the couple’s whereabouts, after which they were allowed to leave.

    The RPO said the relatives are playing a “dubious role” and contributing to the couple’s “trouble”.

    Urfan’s father initially claimed to not have any information about his grandchildren, however, they were found at his place after the raid.

    “If they did nothing wrong in London, they should feel free to hand themselves over to the police”, said the RPO, referring to the couple, hoping that they will surrender soon since the children should not be kept away from the parents for too long.

    The case

    On August 10, 10-year-old Sara Sharif was found dead in her home in Woking, England, when her father, Urfan Sharif, called 999 from Pakistan.

    Nadeem Riaz, shop owner and a travelling agent, has known Sharif for 11 years. During an interview with The Times, he recalled that on August 8, he booked one way tickets to Pakistan on urgent basis, claiming that his cousin died.

    On August 9, Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool, their five children and Sharif’s brother Faisal Malik left for Islamabad from the UK on a British Airways flight.

    The next day, Urfan Sharif called 999 after which the police found Sara’s body at home. Surrey Police then began an investigation along with international partners. The same day, after arriving at Islamabad, the family travelled to Jhelum. The police kept on tracking them as they left for Domeli late on August 12, and then left Domeli the very next day. This was the last location tracked.

    On August 15, Pakistan police received a request from International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) via FIA to hunt them down.

  • We are ready for the upcoming elections: Maulana Fazlur Rehman

    We are ready for the upcoming elections: Maulana Fazlur Rehman

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has stated on Tuesday that his party is prepared for the upcoming general election even if they are held tomorrow.

    He gave this statement while speaking on Hamid Mir’s program ‘Capital Talk’ on Geo News. Maulana’s statement comes one day after Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took a jibe at his party’s former allies, saying that they are “running away” from the elections.
    “Conduct the elections tomorrow… we are ready for the polls even for tomorrow,” Maulana said.

    The President of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) also said that his party had consistently called for new elections during the three and half years of Imran Khan’s government, reminding Hamid Mir that his party didn’t accept the result of 2018 polls and that stakeholders in All-Parties Conference (APC) were also not happy about the results.

    “The APC agreed that the [2018] election results will not be accepted,” he said, adding that it meant that all political parties unanimously demanded new elections.

  • UK job market: Rise in unemployment, but paychecks soar to new heights

    UK job market: Rise in unemployment, but paychecks soar to new heights

    The United Kingdom’s unemployment rate saw a slight increase to 4.3 per cent during the three months leading up to the end of July, as confirmed by official data released on Tuesday. This marks a marginal rise from the previous quarter’s 4.2 per cent unemployment rate, as reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

    In the same period, average regular earnings, excluding bonuses, exhibited a remarkable annual growth rate of 7.8 per cent, a historic high since comparable records began in 2001, according to the ONS.

    In response to these figures, Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt emphasised the persistence of elevated wage growth, partly attributed to one-time payments to public sector employees. He stressed the importance of adhering to their plan to combat inflation to ensure sustainable real wage growth.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had earlier expressed his intention to halve UK annual inflation, especially when it exceeded 10 per cent, as reported by AFP. However, the current inflation rate remains at 6.8 per cent, surpassing that of other G7 nations.

    The Capital Economics research group’s UK economist, Ashley Webb, observed a gradual relaxation in the labour market’s tightness during July. Nevertheless, the substantial wage growth noted is expected to raise concerns at the Bank of England, potentially leading to an anticipated interest rate hike from the current 5.25 per cent to a peak of 5.5 per cent at the upcoming regular policy meeting.

  • Blasphemy laws; major change in mindset needed, say lawmakers

    In a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights held on Monday in Islamabad, the Ministry of Human Rights and the Human Rights Committee have recommended the formation of a National Coordination Committee to avoid incidents like Jaranwala riots.

    The committee has also asked for details of incidents related to blasphemy across the country.

    Blasphemy Laws:

    Chairman of the Standing Committee on Human Rights, Senator Waleed Iqbal, spoke with Annie Shirazi for Independent Urdu, stating that, “Great concern has been expressed on the matter of people taking the law into their hands.”

    “Several recommendations were to be presented on this matter, including the recommendations of the Ministry of Human Rights, while a couple of members also presented recommendations in the meeting.”

    Senator Waleed Iqbal said an important and necessary change in mindset is required in the country, which includes brotherhood, love, and mutual tolerance.” These are the values that are derived from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, he emphasized, adding the issue will be discussed in detail.

    The Senate Committee recommended the formation of a National Coordination Committee.

    In the committee meeting, Senator Sami Ezadi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf proposed to review the blasphemy law again. He pointed, “Not many incidents like this used to take place in the past.”

    “Many people are afraid to even talk about it. The blasphemy law should be re-examined.”, he added

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui, however, did not agree and said, “If there is no law then there will be no prevention. There should be laws to prevent every incident. The road should not be closed.”

    Sami Ezidi replied that the road won’t be closed and the law will be reviewed.

    The committee also sought details of blasphemy incidents across the country.

    Briefing of Ministry of Human Rights on Jaranwala Incident:
    Human Rights Secretary Allah Dino Khawaja told the committee in the briefing that two young Christians were accused of desecrating the Holy Quran. More than 60 houses were burnt, while 100 people were also arrested in the case. “The entire community should not be targeted at the request of one person.”

    “Our mothers and sisters were not afraid of animals as much as they were of humans.”, he added

    He said that the Ministry of Human Rights has decided to compensate 92 families.

    The Federal Secretary confirmed a lack of communication between the federation and the provinces regarding such incidents and supported the proposal for the establishment of a National Coordination Committee.

    Allah Dino also revealed that four such incidents took place in Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad after the Jaranwala incident, while two people were shot in Faisalabad on the charge of alleged blasphemy.

    In this regard, the federal secretary emphasised on the need for reforms in the police as well.
    After the meeting, Senator Sami Ezadi also spoke with Independent Urdu and said that such incidents there is a reason for such incidents taking place. People believe that if they do this, they will go to heaven. We have only to revise the law, we have not changed the law, he said.

    “We are not changing the law, we will only review it. If the law is right, then it is right.” We have to make this decision after a great deal of thought, he stressed.

  • Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan, Sri Lanka to play knock-out game for Finals spot

    After India beat Sri Lanka in the Super Four stage match on Tuesday, Pakistan now have a fair chance to qualify for the Asia Cup finals. India has already qualified for the finals.

    Pakistan and Sri Lanka have two points each but with a better bet run rate, Sri Lanka is in a more secure position. If Pakistan defeats Sri Lanka in the next match, Pakistan will qualify for the finals to meet India. But unfortunately, if the match is washed out by rain both teams will get 1 point and Sri Lanka will qualify for the finals because of a better run rate.

    Earlier Pakistan was defeated by India by a massive margin of 228 runs.

    Let’s take a look at the Points:

    Asia Cup super 4 standing

    Read More: Babar Azam named ICC Men’s Player of the Month

  • SBP expected to hike interest rates by at least 150 bps to control inflation

    SBP expected to hike interest rates by at least 150 bps to control inflation

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is expected to hike interest rates by at least 150 basis points (bps) on Thursday in an effort to curb sky-high inflation and bolster diminished foreign exchange reserves. 

    The central bankas already raised its benchmark rate by 12.25 per cent points to 22 per cent since April 2022, but inflation remains in double digits, at 27.4 per cent in August. The rupee has also depreciated sharply in recent months, reaching an all-time low of 200 rupees per dollar. 

    A Reuters poll of 17 analysts shows that 15 are forecasting a rate hike, with nine predicting an increase of at least 150 bps. The other two analysts expect the rate to remain unchanged. 

    The SBP is under pressure to raise rates in order to cool inflation and attract foreign investment. However, a rate hike could also dampen economic growth, which is already slowing. 

    The central bank is also facing challenges from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has set conditions for the release of further tranches of its $3 billion bailout package. One of these conditions is that the SBP must raise interest rates. 

    The SBP is likely to balance these competing considerations when it makes its decision on Thursday. However, it is clear that the bank is under pressure to take action to address the country’s economic challenges. 

    Here are some additional details about the factors that are likely to influence the SBP’s decision: 

    • Inflation: Inflation remains a major concern for the SBP. The latest data shows that inflation fell slightly in August, but it remains in double digits. The SBP has said that it expects inflation to decline over the next 12 months, but it is unclear whether this will happen without further monetary tightening.  
    • Foreign exchange reserves: The SBP’s foreign exchange reserves have been declining in recent months, reaching a critical level of $10.3 billion in August. The SBP needs to bolster its reserves in order to meet its import obligations and avoid a sovereign debt default. A rate hike could help to attract foreign investment and slow the decline in reserves.  
    • IMF conditions: The IMF has set conditions for the release of further tranches of its bailout package. One of these conditions is that the SBP must raise interest rates. The SBP is likely to comply with this condition in order to secure the IMF’s support. 

    The SBP’s decision on Thursday will be closely watched by markets and investors. A rate hike is likely to be welcomed by those who are concerned about inflation, but it could also dampen economic growth. The SBP is facing a difficult balancing act, and its decision will have a significant impact on the country’s economic outlook. 

  • Govt not reducing solar net metering rate of Rs19 

    Govt not reducing solar net metering rate of Rs19 

    In an official statement, Muhammad Ali, the Caretaker Minister for Energy and Petroleum, has provided clarity on the government’s stance regarding incentives for solar net metering. Addressing recent speculation in the media and on social platforms, he affirmed that the government has no intentions of reducing the incentives associated with solar net metering, particularly the rate of Rs19.  

     “There were talks of a change in the rate of solar net metering in media and social media that the government is reducing the net metering rate from Rs19. I want to clarify and ensure that we are not taking any such measure,” he said. 

    Furthermore, Ali announced the government’s upcoming initiative to introduce a special incremental tariff for industrial electricity users before October 31. This endeavor is aimed at ensuring affordable electricity for industrial sectors, thereby relieving some of the financial burden on energy consumers. 

    In its ongoing efforts to support energy consumers during the winter season, the government is actively working on devising a special tariff designed to mitigate expenses for this specific period. 

    Ali also disclosed the government’s rigorous measures to combat electricity theft, which includes a nationwide crackdown on the illegal activity. He reported that individuals implicated in electricity theft within distribution and other utility companies have been reassigned, and comprehensive actions are being taken against them. Additionally, a crackdown against gas theft has been initiated to curb such practices. 

    Previously, reports had suggested that the government was contemplating the issuance of an ordinance to further regulate net metering. This decision was prompted by concerns that the installation of solar panels on rooftops had inadvertently increased capacity payments to Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Notably, the proposed ordinance is expected to include provisions criminalizing non-payment of electricity bills, as reported by Geo News.