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  • Bilawal Bhutto avoids handshake with Indian foreign minister

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met and held meetings with his counterparts from Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan at the Shanghai Coopera­tion Org­anisation’s (SCO) Council of For­eign Ministers’ meeting. However, it has been reported that Bilawal and Indian FM Dr S. Jaishankar avoided handshake and the two ministers sat away from each other.

    Bilawal attended the SCO meeting (July 28th to 29th) in Tashkent and this is where both he and Jaishankar came together since the Pakistani foreign minister took charge.

    It is pertinent to mention that the SCO meeting is being held in connection with the preparations for the SCO Heads of State meeting scheduled to be held in September.

    On the international platform, Bilawal said that there are no plans of any meetings between Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers (PM) in September, adding that “both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO and the two countries are only engaged in the context of the broad-based activities of the organisation”.

    The foreign minister said: “India is our neighbouring country. While one can decide on a lot of things, one cannot choose its neighbours, therefore, we should get used to living with them.”

    Bilawal recalled that after 2019, constructive dialogue with India became difficult, while statements based on Islamophobia by Indian officials are further creating hurdles in dialogue.

    ‘What is our fault if Khan failed to boost ties with US?’

    Reacting to Imran Khan’s criticism that said Pakistan and the United States (US) relation has weakened during the tenure of the coalition government, the foreign minister said, “There is no truth in Imran Khan’s claims.”

    “Khan tried to strengthen relations with Washington when he was in power,” he said and asked, “What was their fault if he failed to boost ties with the US?”

  • 2,157 cases of diarrhoea reported in Islamabad

    2,157 cases of diarrhoea reported in Islamabad

    As per sources of the National Institute of Health (NIH), 2,157 cases of diarrhoea have been reported in Islamabad in the past one month, reports ARY.

    However, no death has been reported due to diarrhoea.

    Most cases have been reported in Poly Clinic Hospital Islamabad. A total of 991 cases were reported in the hospital last week. Out of which, 324 cases were reported in children.

    A total of 245 cases were reported in PIMS hospital in the last week.

    However, 90 per cent of the patients were not hospitalised.

    In addition, Islamabad also reported 21 cases of cholera this season.

  • Petroleum prices may increase by Rs28.44 on Monday

    Petroleum prices may increase by Rs28.44 on Monday

    The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has calculated a price increase for petroleum products of up to Rs28.44 per litre that could go into effect on August 1.

    According to regulatory agency sources, the estimated ex-depot price of gasoline may increase by Rs6.53, high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs28.44, kerosene oil (SKO) by Rs11.02, and light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs5.64 per litre based on the current rate of petroleum levy (PL).

    On Saturday (today), the Finance Division will move a summary calling for an increase in gasoline prices of up to approximately 11 per cent beginning August 1. The prime minister will, as usual, make the final choice in this matter.

    The cost of gasoline and HSD will also increase if the government decides to include the Rs7 per litre petroleum dealer’s per centage in the pricing structure. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had earlier that day approved the petroleum dealers’ increased margin.

    The Petroleum Division had given the dealers assurances that the government would implement the margin as of August 1, 2022.

    According to these projected prices, the price of gasoline would increase from Rs230.24 to Rs236.77 per litre, the price of HSD from Rs236.00 to Rs264.44 per litre, the price of SKO from Rs196.45 to Rs207.47 per litre, and the price of LDO from Rs191.68 to Rs197.32 per litre.

    Presently, the PL on gasoline is Rs10 per litre, the PL on HSD, SKO, and LDO are each Rs5, and there is no sales tax.

    In order to reach the budgetary goal of Rs750 billion set in the Finance Bill 2022–23, the National Assembly has approved a rise in the maximum limit of PL from Rs30 per litre to Rs50 per litre.

    Read more: Petrol, diesel prices may increase by Rs10-17 per litre

    However, sources in the Petroleum Division believed that, at the current rate, the government was unlikely to collect Rs750 billion from PL in the current fiscal year, as that would only amount to a maximum of Rs14 billion per month.

    In addition, if the 17.5 per cent general sales tax (GST) is not imposed on these goods, a revenue shortfall of Rs45 billion per month is likely.

  • Severe gas shortage affect residents of Rawalpindi

    Severe gas shortage affect residents of Rawalpindi

    Since most of Rawalpindi has been without gas for more than a week, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has failed to supply natural gas for domestic users, even during the busiest summer months, and nothing has been done to remedy the situation.

    On Friday, there were long queues of customers waiting to purchase ‘naan’ at exorbitant prices at all ‘tandoors’ and hotels.

    According to Mukhtar Shah, General Manager of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) for the Rawalpindi region, there is a gas shortage for consumers as a result of the wet weather. In cloudy weather, there is a significant difference between supply and demand, he claimed. He claimed that we are working to make natural gas available everywhere.

    On the other hand, under the condition of anonymity, a few key post officers from SNGPL told The News that the relevant department had cut off natural gas to domestic users in order to benefit nearby businesses and CNG stations. According to the sources, the officers claimed that corrupt officers were profiting greatly from it.

    The LPG vendors were also making money by offering gas in black for an exorbitant Rs300 per kilogramme. The price of LPG gas has also increased by the government and been set at Rs260 per kilogramme, but dealers have been taking full advantage of the current circumstance and selling the commodity in black.

    Gas has not been available for more than a week in the following areas:

    Sher Zaman Colony, Shah Faisal, Shah Khalid, Adiala Road, Qasim Market, Misriyal, Chakra, Satellite Town, Jhanda, Mareer Hasan, Saleha Street, Munawar Colony, Mubarak Lane, Dhoke Juma, New Lalazar, Tahli Mohri, Defence Road, Dhoke Kala Khan, Gulistan Colony, Naik Alam, Dhoke Manga Khan, Kashmir Colony, Gulshanabad, Dhamyal, Quaid-e-Azam Colony, Scheme-III, Dhok Ratta, Arya Mohalla, Tipu Road, Lalkurti, Tench Bhatta, Jan Colony, Dhoke Ratta, Dhok Munshi, Rehmatabad, Dhoke Banaras, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Tipu Road, Raheemabad and several other localities.

  • Supreme Court uploads audio of JCP meeting on its website

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) uploaded the audio of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s (JCP) meeting on its website.

    The recording was of the letters issued by two JCP members — senior puisne SC judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood — both of whom claimed the meeting had disapproved the nominations of judges, proposed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, for elevation to the top court.

    Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, in a letter, highlighted the need for putting out factual and correct minutes of the meeting, in which details of observations and discussions of each member should be mentioned.

    “The correct minutes of the meeting, if made publically, will stop needless rumours,” Justice Masood wrote in his two-page letter.

    In a similar letter written to other JCP members, Justice Qazi Faez Isa also highlighted that the acting secretary, who had attended the meeting in the absence of the JCP secretary, should immediately release this decision to the media, which would also stem unnecessary speculation and misreporting, as the meeting was held behind closed doors.

    “In these exceptional circumstances the Hon’ble chairman JCP has been pleased to relax the restriction under Rule 5(4) of the JCP Rules, 2010 and has directed for the audio recording of the JCP proceedings of 28.07.2022 to be made available on the official website of the SCP,” said a statement issued by the apex court.

    The audio recording from time slot 1:29:45 to 1:38:08 contains the statement by Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf that the matters under discussion should be deferred to frame appropriate rules. He did not assess or reject the merits of any of the high court judges proposed for appointment to the apex court. As a result, five members of the JCP supported the deferment of the meeting as reported in the press note of Thursday,” the fresh statement said.

    In the audio tape, the AGP can be heard saying “when we talk of seniority, ability, integrity, and temperament, we should also consider whether the appellate courts have appreciated their judgements or overturned them”.

    “While nominating judges we should also consider how much time they will have in the Supreme Court to decide matters,” he said, pointing out that if they had only three years, then it would not be enough.

    Justice Isa, who spoke in the end after the CJP, expressed surprise that while the two senior-most CJs of the high courts could sit in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), they were not fit to be elevated to the Supreme Court. “What an irony?” he remarked.

    “What does a CJ of the high court bring to this court? [He] brings experience as a CJ. What I have learnt as CJ, I would never have learned as a judge. It is altogether a different ball game,” he emphasised.

    “We all are equal and can nominate and all of us carry one vote to decide. This is not about winning or losing but a question of the future. You are bypassing chief justices,” said Justice Isa.

    “We will be short of five judges next month and we have 50,000 cases,” the CJP pointed out.

  • Shehbaz Sharif, Bill Gates discuss anti-polio campaign

    Shehbaz Sharif, Bill Gates discuss anti-polio campaign

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Bill Gates held talks on the phone and discussed the anti-polio campaign in Pakistan.

    In a telephonic conversation, the premier appreciated the valuable support of the BMGF to Pakistan in polio eradication and improving immunisation, nutrition, and financial inclusion in the country.

    Expressing grave concern about the recent increase in the number of confirmed poliovirus cases in Pakistan in 2022, Shehbaz stressed that his government remained committed to ending all forms of polio in the country.

    Gates reiterated the Foundation’s continued support to Pakistan for ensuring that no child is at risk of paralysis due to poliovirus.

    One wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case was reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bringing the number of 2022 WPV1 cases to 13. In 2021, the number of WVP1 cases was one and the number of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV2) cases was eight.

  • Ratna Pathak Shah lands in hot water for terming ‘Karwa Chauth’ as regressive

    Ratna Pathak Shah lands in hot water for terming ‘Karwa Chauth’ as regressive

    Actress Ratna Pathak Shah of Kapoor & Sons fame has landed in hot water after her recent comments on a Hindu festival. This trolling is owing to the actress’ recent statements about India moving towards becoming an ‘extremely conservative society’ and slamming the concept of ‘Karwa Chauth’.

    During a recent chat with an entertainment portal, the Golmaal 3 star spoke about how women in the 21st century, are still observing age-old traditions like Karwa Chauth – a Hindu ritual in which the wife prays for her husband’s long life by fasting.

    Ratna Pathak Shah - Our society is becoming extremely conservative | Sarabhai vs Sarabhai 3 - YouTube

    While she revealed it was for the first time last year she was asked if would fast for her husband, Ratna also said that India is becoming ‘a conservative society’ and the first thing it does ‘is clamp down on its women’ – just like they have done in a country like Saudi Arabia.

    Netizens aren’t happy with Ratna Pathak Shah’s comments and have taken to social media to slam her for both dissing women keeping the Karwa Chauth fast and calling Saudi Arabia a conservative society while making comparisons. 

    EXCLUSIVE: Ratna Pathak Shah says society is becoming conservative: 'Look at number of ads for kundali dikhao' | PINKVILLA

    Ratna said that she was asked for the first time last year if she would fast for her husband, actor Naseeruddin Shah.

    “Nothing has changed for women or very little has changed in very crucial areas. Our society is becoming extremely conservative. We’re becoming superstitious, we’re being forced into accepting and making religion a very important part of one’s life. Someone asked me for the first time last year if I’m observing Karwa Chauth. I said, ‘Am I mad?’ Isn’t it appalling that modern educated women fast to pray for the long lives of husbands?”

    Growing Old Together: Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak's Love Story Restores Our Faith In Love

    She continued, “We are moving towards an extremely conservative society. The first thing a conservative society does is clamp down on its women. Look at all the conservative societies in this world. Women are the ones who are most affected. What’s the scope of women in Saudi Arabia? Do we want to become like Saudi Arabia? And we will become because it’s very very convenient. Women provide a lot of unpaid labour within the home. If you have to pay for that labour, who will do it? Women are forced into that situation.”

  • Ashura to be observed on August 9

    Ashura to be observed on August 9

    The Muharram crescent was not sighted yesterday (29 July). The first of Muharram will fall on Sunday (July 31). Youm-e-Ashur will be observed on August 9 (Tuesday), the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Friday.

    The meeting for the sighting of the moon was presided over by committee chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad.

    The statement released by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on July 29 says: “In pursuance of the decision of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, in its meeting held today at Quetta, the federal government in the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony hereby announce that the moon of the Muharram-ul-Haram 1444 AH has not sighted, therefore the 1st Muharram-ul-Haram shall commence from Sunday (July 31).”

     The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 in the province to maintain law and order during the first 10 days of Muharram.

  • ECC lifts import ban on goods except CBU vehicles, mobiles and appliances

    ECC lifts import ban on goods except CBU vehicles, mobiles and appliances

    The Cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has decided to lift the import ban on all items other than completely built units (CBUs) of automobile, mobile, and home appliances and to permit the import of 200,000 metric tonnes of wheat.

    The increase in petroleum dealers’ margin from Rs4.90 per litre and Rs4.13 per litre, respectively, to Rs7 per litre was also approved at the meeting chaired by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail.

    The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA), according to sources, has asked the government for an immediate revision of their margins due to inflation, increases in staff salaries and utility costs, etc.

    They have asked that the margins be revised to Rs6.90 per litre including 15 per cent profit (effectively Rs7.94 per litre). The PPDA then used the media to announce a nationwide strike that would begin on July 18, 2022, with the demand that their margins be increased to 6 per cent of the current selling price (effectively, Rs13.81 per litre for MS and Rs4.16 per litre for HSD).

    On the orders of the prime minister, Musadik Malik, the minister of state for petroleum, and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the former minister for petroleum, immediately began communication with the PPDA. On July 16 and 17, 2022, several rounds of negotiations took place in Karachi.

    During negotiations, the Secretary of Petroleum and the Chairman of OGRA both remained present. The PPDA changed its position during negotiations and requested that the margins be raised to Rs9.23 and Rs9.46/litre on MS and HSD, respectively, with immediate effect.

    The negotiating team acknowledged that a dealer with daily sales of less than 200,000 litres cannot operate the business profitably on current margins, and that such losses serve as a motivator for dishonest behaviour.

    After lengthy negotiations, the PPDA finally agreed to margins of Rs7 per litre for both MS and HSD. Based on this agreement and the promise that the revised margins will take effect in August 2022, the PPDA cancelled its call for a strike on July 18, 2022.

    The commitment made to the dealers in November 2021 is still less than this agreed-upon margin (4.4 per cent of sales price).

    The 4th international wheat tender for 2022, which was announced and opened on July 25, has prompted the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to ask for urgent advice. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) issued its fourth tender on May 19, 2022, in order to secure 200,000 metric tonnes of imported wheat on a CFR basis, it was announced at the meeting.

    The ECC has approved the direct payment of $11.6 million as compensation/goodwill to the company M/s China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co. Ltd (CGGC) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to a proposal from the Ministry of Water Resources for a compensation package for the Chinese casualties at the Dasu Hydro Power project.

    The ECC determined that the compensation/goodwill package’s amount, which is US$ 11.6 million, will remain the same as per the ECC’s earlier decision from January 21, 2022.

    it also approved the proposal to switch both the Fatima Fertilizer (Sheikhupura Plant) and Agritech plants to domestic gas on a summary moved by the Ministry of Industries and Production.

    According to the ministry, RLNG is provided to both SNGPL-based plants on a cost-sharing basis, and the gas rate for running these plants is calculated using a variable contribution margin (VCM).

    Both plants have asked the Ministry to revise the VCM and cap the GST at the price paid by the plants due to rising fuel prices and other factors. The proposal to switch both plants to domestic gas was approved by the ECC following discussion in accordance with the Federal Cabinet’s and ECC’s earlier decision.

    The Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Food Security, and Ministry of Industries & Production were further instructed by the ECC to determine the gas price/VCM for the fertilisers The ECC also decided that sales tax could be applied to the actual gas cost that the company is paying.

    The Ministry of Commerce also provided a summary stating that the Cabinet approved the ban on the import of approximately 33 classes/categories of goods in order to reduce the current account deficit (CAD), which was on the rise.

    The decision caused an overall decrease in imports of the prohibited goods of over 69 per cent, or from $399.4 million to $123.9 million. Due to serious concerns expressed by significant trading partners regarding the imposition of the ban and taking into account the fact that the ban has had an impact on supply chains and the domestic retail industry, a review meeting was also held to review the ban after two months.

    The government’s ongoing efforts have resulted in a significant decrease in imports, so the ECC decided to lift the ban on imported goods other than auto, mobile, and home appliance CBUs.

    Additionally, all held-up shipments (aside from those that still fall under the banned category) that arrived at the ports after July 1, 2022, may be cleared with the payment of a 25 per cent surcharge.

  • ‘Khud lagwa lo’: Merub Ali hits out at troll for a derogatory comment

    ‘Khud lagwa lo’: Merub Ali hits out at troll for a derogatory comment

    Actor Merub Ali, who was last seen in HUM TV’s Paristan has clapped back at a troll on Instagram. A netizen commented under her picture that she needs “3 drips”.

    The starlet responded by saying that “So you get them yourself, why are you mentioning here?”

    Earlier this year, Merub’s fiance Asim Azhar announced their engagement via Instagram, earlier this year to his rumoured girlfriend and longtime friend, Model Merub Ali.

    The pair posted identical announcements on Instagram on Sunday. “Shukar Alhamdulillah [Thank you God]. With the grace of Allah Almighty and our parent’s duas, we announce our Imam Zamin – engagement. May Allah SWT keep us protected and this happy forever, Ameen. Keep us in your prayers,” read their posts.

    There were many speculations prior to the announcement but the duo never confirmed their relationship publicly. In an interview, Ali said, “We’re great family friends and have known each other since childhood. My brother is his best friend and our mothers are best friends.”

    After, the announcement, congratulations began pouring in under both their posts from their celebrity friends.

    Last year Asim urged social media portals to not spread unverified news about his and Merub’s engagement.