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  • PTI’s Shaukat Tarin booked for allegedly sabotaging IMF deal

    Former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has been booked in a sedition case by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for allegedly sabotaging negotiations between Pakistan and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader landed in the center of controversy in August last year when telephonic conversations between him and two provincial finance ministers surfaced. A voice, allegedly Tarin’s, was heard telling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) finance minister Taimur Jhagra and Punjab finance minister Mohsin Leghari, both of the PTI, to tell the coalition government in the centre and the IMF that they would not be able to commit to a provincial budget surplus in light of the monsoon floods.

    The leaked audio came to light when the international lender’s executive board was scheduled to consider Pakistan’s request of releasing the $1.2 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

    On Monday, the coalition government also allowed the FIA to arrest the former finance minister after the agency sought the interior ministry’s nod to detain him.

    PTI lawmakers protested in Senate against the possible arrest of Tarin on the same day.

    Interestingly, senior leader of arch-rivals Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, lent support to Tarin, stating that there should be a trial and he shouldn’t be arrested.

    He pointed out that many arrests took place when Imran Khan was PM and that now the incumbent government shouldn’t follow in his footsteps.

  • 2,000 Pakistani workers secured jobs in Korea through EPS, says Korean ambassador

    2,000 Pakistani workers secured jobs in Korea through EPS, says Korean ambassador

    The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Pakistan, Suh Sangpyo, announced on Monday that during the year 2022, approximately 2,000 workers from Pakistan secured employment in Korea through the Employment Permit System (E9).

    As per a news release issued by the embassy, the Ambassador expressed his appreciation for the increasing employment opportunities being provided to Pakistani workers through the Employment Permit System (EPS) in Korea. He also pledged to extend his embassy’s full cooperation to further expand the EPS project in the future.

    The Embassy extended its support to the Employment Permit System (E9) project by donating five units of computer equipment, namely scanners, to the sending country (OEC) free of charge. The scanners can be utilised for multiple purposes, including passport scanning.

  • Will be happiest to leave govt as soon as elections are held, says CM Mohsin Naqvi

    Will be happiest to leave govt as soon as elections are held, says CM Mohsin Naqvi

    Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, has said that he doesn’t wish to prolong his tenure as head of government in the province.

    Talking to journalists, he said that he would be happiest to leave the government as soon as the elections are held. He clarified that the election date is the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) job, and his government is ready to conduct free and fair elections in the province.

    About the ever-growing danger of terrorism in Punjab, the caretaker CM said the government is boosting the capabilities of the already efficient Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in the province.

    It is pertinent to mention Mohsin has been under fire lately by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what they allege is a failure to set a date for by-polls in Punjab.

  • Restaurant shut down by Assistant Commissioner for refusing to give discount, claim owners

    Restaurant shut down by Assistant Commissioner for refusing to give discount, claim owners

    Yak Grill in Gilgit has shared a post on their Instagram page revealing that their eatery had been sealed by Assistant Comissioner Gojal, Rao Rafy Afzal, because they had refused to give the administration a discount.
    In the caption, the owners revealed that they would be challenging this order in court and called out the AC for the corrupt practice.

    “AC Gojal Rao Rafy Afzal has illegally sealed Yakgrill restaurant in Passu, Gojal, Hunza due to the restaurant not providing discounts to the administration.
    He made electric heaters in the restaurant a base and sealed the restaurant. The right to operate a business and offer services is protected under the law, and it is important that these rights are upheld and respected.
    We will challenge this in court to restore our operation as soon as possible.
    Our restaurant will remain close till further notice .”

    In a video that is currently circulating on Twitter, AC Afzal can be seen in an argument with the owners.

    The Current reached out to AC Afzal who explained that the restaurant had broken Section 144, which is a law pertaining to using electric heaters. Upon inspection, the team had found electric heaters in use and thus gave orders to shut down the place.
    “The owners are spreading propaganda to hide the truth. We had imposed Section 144 CrPC on the use of electric heaters. On spot checking and inspection they were found using them. Thus, orders were given to seal the restaurant and to confiscate the heaters. Upon which the owner and his team used threatening and offensive language. They came up with this fake story to cover up. The owner is being prosecuted against under PPC for relevant offences.”

    On whether this Section has been imposed before on other restaurants before and why was this the issue to focus on, the AC responded that it was due to the electricity shortage problem which is why it was emphasized on.

    “This is enforced all over Gojal. There is shortage of electricity in Gojal. Which is why this was imposed.”

    Regarding whether Yak Grill and its owners were given a prior warning about their use of electric heaters before being sealed, the AC responded with:

    “The administration issues a notification/ order under Sec 144 CrPC which is displayed on social media and showcased at different places also. Individuals/ hotels/ restaurants can’t be sent such an order individually as it’s administratively impossible.

    It’s an open truth. Spot checking is done afterwards and legal action is taken. The notification/ order was passed on November 28th which has validity of 90 days.”

  • BBC India office raided by tax official after airing documentary on Modi

    BBC India office raided by tax official after airing documentary on Modi

    Indian tax authorities raided BBC’s New Delhi offices on Tuesday, weeks after it aired a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the deadly riots of 2002 in the western state of Gujarat.

    A BBC employee based in the office told AFP that the tax raid was in progress and that officials were “confiscating all phones”.

    Police were at the BBC’s office in the centre of the capital to prevent people from entering or leaving, an AFP journalist at the scene reported.

    “A government procedure is happening inside the office,” an official said, declining to disclose which department he was from.

    Last month, the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary alleging that the then-Chief Minister Modi ordered police to turn a blind eye to the riots. The violence left at least 1,000 people dead, most of them minority Muslims.

    Government adviser Kanchan Gupta had slammed the documentary as “hostile propaganda and anti-India garbage”.

    Earlier, the Indian foreign ministry dismissed the news as “propaganda”.

    According to the documentary, the inquiry team assessed that Modi had prevented the police from acting to stop the violence targeted against Muslims, stating that he had specifically ordered law-enforcing authorities not to intervene. The documentary also features a former top UK diplomat who says that the violence had been planned by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)

    Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, has termed the BBC documentary a “propaganda piece”.

    India’s government blocked videos and tweets sharing links to the documentary soon after its release, calling it “hostile propaganda and anti-India garbage”.

  • Car sales in Pakistan drop by 65% due to low purchasing power, supply chain disruptions

    Car sales in Pakistan drop by 65% due to low purchasing power, supply chain disruptions

    According to data from the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA), passenger car sales in Pakistan experienced a significant decline of 65 per cent in January 2023 compared to the same period the previous year. This was attributed to a shortage of raw materials, low purchasing power, and price surges.

    With the exception of Suzuki’s Swift, sales of all other variants of cars, trucks, buses, tractors, pick-ups, and three-wheelers, as well as two-wheelers, also dropped in January 2023.

    The seven-month sales data for FY23 showed a 43 per cent drop compared to the same period last year, with passenger car sales decreasing by 65 per cent to 6,021 units. In January 2023, engine-wise sales data showed that sales of 1,300cc and above cars were recorded at 4,207 units, down 55.5 per cent compared to the same period last year. Additionally, 1,000cc cars recorded sales of 1,214 units, a decrease of 55.2 per cent from the same period the previous year.

    In January 2023, sales of passenger cars with engines less than 1,000cc plummeted to 600 units, down 88 per cent from 4,820 units sold in the same period last year.

    Sales of Suzuki’s new Alto were particularly hard hit, dropping to 44 units from 3,864 units last year, as the company was unable to produce any due to raw material shortages. Commercial vehicle sales were also impacted, with buses and trucks declining to 470 units from 778 units in January 2022.

    Despite this, the sale of jeeps and pickups increased to 4,846 units from 3,625 units sold last year, largely due to an increase in sales of Honda BR-V and HR-V. Tractor sales, on the other hand, decreased to 3,406 units from 4,966 units in January 2022.

    Meanwhile, sales of rickshaws and motorcycles dropped to 109,558 units from 153,658 units in the same period last year. According to Topline Securities, Pakistan’s overall car sales, including those of non-PAMA members, stood at around 11,500 units, down 37 per cent from the previous month, primarily due to Pak Suzuki’s inability to produce due to the non-availability of CKD parts.

    In January 2023, the automotive industry in Pakistan experienced a 47 per cent year-on-year drop in sales, contributing to a 39 per cent decline in sales for the first seven months of FY23. According to Sunny Kumar, an analyst for Topline Securities, this is due to rising car prices, costly auto financing, and limited consumer purchasing power.

    Pak Suzuki (PSMC) was hit particularly hard, with sales falling to 2,946 units, the lowest level since April 2020, largely due to a credit letters issue. In contrast, Hyundai sales increased 81 per cent month-on-month, with Tuscon sales up 69 per cent and Sonata sales up 241 per cent in January 2023. In the tractor sector, Millat Tractors and Al-Ghazi Tractors recorded increased sales in January 2023 compared to the previous month.

    However, the industry’s overall sales have dropped by 53 per cent YoY to 14,919 units in 7MFY23, affected by floods, plant shutdowns, higher prices, and low consumer purchasing power.

  • Aamir Liaquat leaked video case: Dania Shah released on bail

    Aamir Liaquat leaked video case: Dania Shah released on bail

    Dania Shah, the estranged wife of the late Dr Aamir Liaquat, has been granted bail on Tuesday by Sindh High Court.

    The high court issued its decision on Dania Shah’s February 8 bail plea.

    A previous bail application had been denied by the district and sessions court in Karachi. Subsequently, Dania Shah approached the high court and claimed that no evidence had been uncovered against her, pleading that the court should release her on bond and end the legal remand.
    The SHC, while accepting bail of late Aamir Liaquat’s wife against surety bonds of Rs200,000, ordered police to release her from jail.

    Aamir Liaquat, a televangelist and politician, was found dead at his home on June 9 in Karachi.

    A few months before his death, videos surfaced online showing Dr Aamir in compromising positions, allegedly shot in secret and released by Dania Shah.

  • Hyderabad woman suffers vision impairment after using phone in the dark

    Hyderabad woman suffers vision impairment after using phone in the dark

    Indian doctor Sudhir Kumar has shared details of a case on Twitter where a woman began suffering from vision impairment for one and a half year. Her symptoms included seeing bright flashes of light, dark zig zag lines and some times, the inability to see or focus on objects.
    In a lengthy Twitter thread, he said that the 30 year old woman had quit her job as a beautician to take care of her specially-abled son, which is when she picked up the habit of scrolling through her phone for several hours at night with the lights switched off.

    “I reviewed the history. Symptoms had started after she quit her job of a beautician in order to take care of her specially abled child. She picked up a new habit of browsing through her smartphone for several hours daily, including >2 hours at nights with lights switched of.”

    After this, the doctor revealed that it was clearly a case of ‘smartphone vision syndrome’ which occurs after long term usage of tablets, phones or computers which can cause disabling optical symptoms.

    “The diagnosis was obvious now. She was suffering from smartphone vision syndrome (SVS). Long-term use of devices such as computer, smartphones or tablets can cause various eye-related disabling symptoms, referred to as computer vision syndrome (CVS) or digital vision syndrome.”

    The doctor had advised the woman to reduce her use of phones and only use it when it is completely necessary. Now, 18 months later the woman’s eyesight has been restored and she no longer sees flashes of light or zig zag lines.

    Using this case as an example, he advised his followers to reduce phone usage to take care of their bodies better. His two reminders were:

    1 Take 20-second break, every 20 min, to look at something 20 feet away, while using a digital screen (20-20-20 rule).

    2 Avoid looking at screens of digital devices for long, as it can cause severe and disabling vision-related problems.

  • Petrol price likely to rise by Rs20 per litre in upcoming review

    Petrol price likely to rise by Rs20 per litre in upcoming review

    Oil industry sources report that there may be a Rs20 per litre increase in petrol prices at the upcoming review on February 15, 2023. The increase is based on calculations of the international price of petrol, specifically on a free on board (FOB) basis.

    During the previous fortnightly review of fuel prices, the government implemented a substantial increase of Rs35 per litre. Currently, the government imposes a petroleum levy (PL) of Rs50 per litre, while the general sales tax (GST) has not yet been levied.

    Sources suggest that the price of petrol could increase further if the foreign exchange rate is adjusted at the next review. They noted that the exchange rate is currently unfavorable, negating any potential benefits or reductions for local consumers.

    Despite a decrease in international petrol prices, the sharp depreciation of the rupee against the dollar has offset gains, adversely affecting domestic consumers. Additionally, the sources warned that the government may implement a Rs20 per litre adjustment to account for the exchange rate, which could result in an overall increase of up to Rs40 per litre.

    The price of diesel, as reported by sources, has not seen any increase on FOB without exchange rate adjustments. However, they stated that diesel prices could potentially increase in the next review if the exchange rate is adjusted. The government previously adjusted Rs14 per litre on diesel due to the exchange rate, but the recent appreciation of the dollar has effectively negated this adjustment from the last review.

    While global diesel prices have reportedly decreased by five to six dollars per barrel, the depreciation of the rupee prevents the government from passing on the reduction to local consumers.

    The most recent price adjustment of petroleum products was made on January 29, 2021, by the federal government. Following the review, petrol was priced at Rs249.80 per litre, high-speed diesel at Rs262.80 per litre, kerosene oil at Rs189.83 per litre, and light-speed diesel at Rs187 per litre.

    The government implemented an increase in petrol and high-speed diesel prices by Rs35 per litre each, and raised the rates of kerosene oil and light diesel oil by Rs18 per litre each on January 29, 2023.

    Pakistan is currently experiencing a shortage of petrol, with its most populous province, Punjab, being hit the hardest. The crisis has affected major and minor cities, towns, and villages in Punjab, with the shortage being attributed to petroleum dealers.

    Sources previously reported that in addition to a low import of petrol by most Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), petroleum dealers were also involved in hoarding petrol in anticipation of an expected price increase in mid-February.

  • Gen Bajwa personally recorded conversations with Imran Khan, claims Aftab Iqbal

    Gen Bajwa personally recorded conversations with Imran Khan, claims Aftab Iqbal

    Television personality and anchorperson Aftab Iqbal has claimed that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa recorded conversations with former Prime Minister Imran Khan when they used to meet.

    “General Bajwa told me that he has audio recordings of Imran Khan praising me for trapping Nawaz Sharif [in court cases and removing him from power]. He [Khan] used to come to me and share ideas of what more I should do with Nawaz Sharif,” reveals Iqbal.

    Iqbal said that Gen Bajwa claimed that he himself recorded the conversations and that former Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Faiz Hameed also didn’t know about it.

    “Securing Faiz, Gen Bajwa said that he will reveal all information that he has on Khan,” said Iqbal.

    On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has yet again come up with another narrative regarding his version of ‘regime change’. The former Prime Minister said that Gen Bajwa told the United States (US) that Khan is anti-America, which resulted in his ouster.

    In an interview with Voice of America, aired on Saturday, Khan said, “As things unfolded, it wasn’t the US who told Pakistan, it was unfortunately, from what evidences have now come out, it was General Bajwa who actually somehow managed to tell the Americans that I was anti-America and so it was not imported from there actually it was exported from here to there.”