Tag: UK

  • Sixth consecutive month: Remittances remain over $2 billion

    Sixth consecutive month: Remittances remain over $2 billion

    Pakistan has maintained a strong momentum in workers’ remittance for the sixth consecutive month in November with over $2 billion, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reported.

    Workers’ remittance increased 28.4% year-on-year in November 2020, pushing the cumulative flows to $11.8 billion during the July-November FY21 with a rise of 26.9% compared to same period last year.

    “This significant growth reflects continued government and SBP efforts to formalise remittances under Pakistan Remittances Initiative (PRI), growing use of digital channels amid limited international travel, orderly exchange market conditions and improved global economic activity,” said the central bank.

    The top four countries that contributed to the highest inflows are Saudi Arabia ($3.3 billion), United Arab Emirates ($2.4 billion), United Kingdom ($1.6 billion) and the United States ($1 billion).

  • Amir Khan escapes unhurt after crashing Mercedes

    Amir Khan escapes unhurt after crashing Mercedes

    British Pakistani boxer Amir Khan got into an accident late Sunday night after he rammed his car into a barrier while driving on a Motorway in Manchester, United Kingdom.

    https://youtu.be/MOCEpvt8THU

    According to a news details, the boxer lost control of his £90,000 car as the road surface was extremely wet following a day of rain.

    Khan shared photos of the accident on social media which showed his Mercedes S350 completely damaged with its front bumper hanging off and the window mirrors completely broken.

    Khan shared that everyone was safe and shared that “smashing into the side of the motorway barrier felt like being hit with a combo.”

    Read more – ‘Meet the Khans’: Faryal Makhdoom, Amir Khan are getting their own reality TV series

    As per the report, this is not the first time that Khan had an incident related to the collection of his luxurious cars.

    “Back in 2012, the 33-year-old saw a gang of armed yobs try and steal his £100,000 Range Rover,” revealed the publication.

    The Bolton-born star has an impressive luxurious car collection that includes a £271,000 Lamborghini Aventador, a £233,000 Rolls Royce Phantom, and a £65,000 Range Rover.

  • ‘Backstabbing’: Imran govt auditing coalition partners, Chaudhrys of Gujarat, in UK

    ‘Backstabbing’: Imran govt auditing coalition partners, Chaudhrys of Gujarat, in UK

    Ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) key coalition partners, the Chaudhrys of Gujarat, are being audited by Pakistani authorities to see if they own any assets in the United Kingdom and the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

    According to sources, the Pakistani government, in a move being considered “backstabbing”, is making extensive inquiries into the potential assets owned directly or indirectly by Pervaiz Elahi, Chaudhary Shujaat, Moonis Elahi or any of their family members.

    The authorities have sent at least two requests to the British government seeking assistance in the pursuit of the alleged assets but the search has not yet yielded positive results, reports said.

    The first request to the UK government’s Home Office was made by the federal government around two years ago, soon after the PTI and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) entered into a coalition. The request was on behalf of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

    A similar letter seeking to trace Moonis’ alleged assets was also sent to the BVI. Both the Home Office and the BVI had informed Pakistani officials that they were unable to trace the assets.

    Sources say a new request – not initiated by NAB – was sent in recent months to find out if Moonis, his father, his uncle or other family members own any assets in the UK.

    The trace is based on suspicions that Moonis owns assets in the UK and possibly elsewhere too, but nothing has been identified so far.

    The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) had written in April 2013 that Moonis was a shareholder of a BVI offshore company called Olive Grove Assets Ltd and that this company was set up with the help of the UBS Switzerland AG.

    Pervaiz Elahi’s son created the offshore structure in 2006 in the BVI but no asset has ever been linked with the aforementioned offshore company yet, claimed the ICIJ.

    “All of my assets and investments have been duly declared in my tax returns. Yes, we are their coalition partners. If this is happening, I am not surprised. After a failed attempt to marginalise and persecute the opposition, they have decided to target their allies,” Moonis said while speaking to a private media outlet.

  • ‘Pakistan, the friend in need’: Millions of COVID-19 drugs to be exported to US, UK, KSA, others

    ‘Pakistan, the friend in need’: Millions of COVID-19 drugs to be exported to US, UK, KSA, others

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has announced the federal cabinet’s decision to send chloroquine tablets — an anti-malarial medicine that some studies found has a strong antiviral effect on COVID-19 — to “friendly nations” to help them in their time of need.

    Addressing a press conference after the weekly cabinet meeting, she said that one million chloroquine tablets will be sent to Saudi Arabia and the United States each, 500,000 to Turkey and Italy each, five million to the United Kingdom, 700,000 to Kazakhstan and 300,000 to Qatar.

    Firdous revealed that leaders of some countries had called Prime Minister Imran Khan and expressed a desire to import the tablets from Pakistan following some encouraging results in treating the coronavirus.

    “Pakistan has always been asking these countries for something or the other. So, for the sake of humanity and to improve Pakistan’s credibility and face value, this is a good chance to help them in this time of need,” she said.

    She also said that Pakistan had some 40 million tablets in stock and possessed the raw material to make even more.

  • ‘Won’t deny Nawaz met establishment officials from UK, US’

    ‘Won’t deny Nawaz met establishment officials from UK, US’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah has said that he won’t deny former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s meeting with officials from establishments of the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US).

    The former premier had last month held a meeting with a “mystery man” at his London residence. PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had brought the man for a meeting with his elder brother Nawaz. The man, who had covered his face, had held a meeting with Nawaz for around 40 minutes until he was guided out the back door of Avenfield Apartments.

    A British journalist of Pakistani origin had, however, recorded a video of the mysterious visitor who didn’t utter a word in response to any questions asked about the meeting. With the video making headlines, speculations regarding the person’s identity had run rife.

    “I won’t deny these meetings. I am not in a position to comment as I have no permission of the party for it,” Sanaullah said when asked about such reports as he spoke to journalists outside the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday.

    “Shehbaz Sharif intends to return home in March,” he further said, adding that the PML-N president would return after the cardiac surgery of ailing ex-PM and his brother Nawaz in London.

    To another question, the PML-N leader said a legal team was holding consultations for extension in bail term of Nawaz as he seeks medical treatment abroad despite jail term after conviction in a corruption case against him.

  • Sajid Javid resigns ‘on principle’ after tensions with British PM

    Sajid Javid resigns ‘on principle’ after tensions with British PM

    British Conservative Party leader of Pakistani origin, Sajid Javid, has resigned as chancellor of the exchequer as Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson carries out a post-Brexit cabinet reshuffle.

    According to BBC, Javid rejected an order to fire his team of aides, saying “no self-respecting minister” could accept such a condition.

    He had been due to deliver his first budget in four weeks’ time.

    The former home secretary was appointed chancellor by Johnson when he became PM in July.

    His resignation follows rumours of tensions between Javid and the British premier’s senior adviser Dominic Cummings. “He has turned down the job of chancellor of the Exchequer,” the report quoted a source close to Javid as saying.

    “The PM said he had to fire all his special advisers and replace them with Number 10 [10 Downing Street, the headquarters of the UK government] special advisers to make it one team. The chancellor said no self-respecting minister would accept those terms.”

    Javid has been replaced by Rishi Sunak.

    Sunka may enact a looser monetary policy, in line with Johnson’s promises to spend on infrastructure. That would allow the Bank of England to step back with monetary easing, thus supporting the pound.

  • Islamophobia heightened after Boris Johnson’s victory: report

    Islamophobia heightened after Boris Johnson’s victory: report

    Following Boris Johson’s ascent to the premiership, several British Muslims have started the process of leaving the United Kingdom (UK) over fears for their ‘personal safety’, a private media outlet has reported.

    The report comes as racist taunts increased sharply in wake of Johnson’s victory and far-right activists linked with his party urged Muslims to leave the UK or face the consequences.

    Manzoor Ali, the head of a Muslim charity organisation that provide food parcels for poor people in Manchester, says he wants to leave the country because he is “insecure about the future of my children.”

    In the past, Johnson has been accused of Islamophobic and racist comments on several occasions. For example, he has compared Muslim women to “letterboxes and bank robbers” in a column for The Telegraph. In another article, he called Islam a ‘problem.’

    Moreover, fear arose after several people complained that after Johnson’s victory, they were told online to leave Britain. Those who were targeted included prominent figures from immigrant backgrounds.

  • ‘Nawaz is really sick,’ confirms Pakistan High Commission in UK

    ‘Nawaz is really sick,’ confirms Pakistan High Commission in UK

    A cardiothoracic surgeon at London’s University College Hospital, Dr David Lawrence, has confirmed that ailing former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, who is currently undergoing medical treatment in the United Kingdom (UK), is really sick and his health can deteriorate further.

    As per the details, Advocate Amjad Pervez, who is representing the former premier in the Al-Azizia and Chaudhary Sugar Mills references, on Friday submitted Nawaz’s medical reports to the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    According to the medical report, the ex-PM is seriously ill and suffering from various health problems, including the coronary artery disease. It added that Nawaz’s platelets were also not stable even now and a platelet count of at least 50,000 to 100,000 was required for proper treatment and recovery.

    The report by Dr Lawrence, which has also been verified by Pakistan High Commission in UK, further said that the health of the ex-premier had improved after bypass surgery; however, they were far from diagnosis and so further medical tests had to be done.

    While his deteriorating health can also lead to a stroke, Nawaz might be suffering from a serious disease such as an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in some part of the body, it added.

    Last month, the LHC, in its order regarding permission to Nawaz to go to London for treatment, had ordered the ailing former premier to continue submission of his health report to the court.

    He had earlier been granted bail in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases against him and allowed to fly to London on medical grounds for eight-weeks.

    The premier can stay out of the country for as long as his treatment continues.

  • US, UK govts issue safety travel advisory for women citizens visiting India

    US, UK govts issue safety travel advisory for women citizens visiting India

    India is fast building a reputation of being an unsafe place for women, resulting in the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) governments issuing a detailed information sheet for survivours of rape and sexual assault for its citizens travelling or staying in India, Times of India reported.

    The advisory by the British government to their citizens was released on its websites, and stated that rape and sexual assault survivours should insist on a police report. It also added that the police are not bound to provide an English translation, but the survivour could get the statement read and explained in English before signing it.

    Referring to this, Kartikeya Tripathi, a lecturer from University College London (UCL), said that in an unfortunate case, if a British national is sexually assaulted in India, the advisory tells them about their rights and that it needs to be dealt with by a female police officer, which many are not aware of.

    Also, the US government’s India travel advisory, which was issued earlier in March 2019 and which places India at ‘level 2’ security, advises travellers to ‘exercise increased caution’. It also stated that Indian authorities report rape as one of the fastest-growing crimes in India, and violent crime, such as sexual assault, has occurred at tourist sites and in other locations.

    The advisories have explained everything in detail, and also urge women to be aware of their rights when they are visiting India.

  • VIDEO: Firdous reluctant to name Malik Riaz in front of media while talking about £190m UK case

    VIDEO: Firdous reluctant to name Malik Riaz in front of media while talking about £190m UK case

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (PM) for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan refrained from naming Malik Riaz in front of the media while giving details about £190 million property settlement case in the United Kingdom (UK).

    Firdous avoided saying Malik Riaz’s name when a journalist asked her about the family who had settled with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

    The special assistant while replying to the question said, “The report contains the name of the family who made settlement”.

    The UK’s crime agency had earlier agreed to a settlement worth £190 million with the family of property tycoon Malik Riaz. The statement from the agency said, “The £190 million settlement is the result of an investigation by the NCA into Malik Riaz Hussain, a Pakistani national, whose business is one of the biggest private sector employers in Pakistan”.

    Meanwhile, the special assistant to the PM on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar has said, “The money has been transferred to the Supreme Court and we have already filed a request before the apex court that the money should be given to us [state of Pakistan]”.

    However, Mirza Akbar did not remove the ambiguity as to how the money can be transferred to the Supreme Court, if the NCA anno­unced in its official press release that it will be given to the state of Pakistan.