Page 29 - Pakistan

Pakistan, China to launch three new CPEC-like corridor projects: Report

Pakistan and China are set to start three new corridors in November, in addition to the multiple billion dollars China Pakistan Economic Corridor, to strengthen bilateral ties

Former Pak PM Imran Khan to announce date for the mega protest next week

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said he will announce the date for his much-publicised mega protest next week to press for the dissolution of the National Assembly and announce snap polls in the country. Khan, 70, was disqualified on Friday by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for failing to inform it about the money he received after selling the state gifts, also known as the Toshakhana case. Khan made the comments while addressing a press conference along with Senator Azam Swati, who was granted bail by a local court in a case about his controversial tweet against Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. I will announce the date of the long march on either Thursday or Friday, he said.

Economic distortions hold back economic growth of Pakistan, says World Bank

The World Bank said that economic distortions hold back the economic growth of Pakistan

Pak PM Shehbaz calls Imran 'certified thief' after his disqualification

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday tore into Imran Khan, describing the ex-premier as a certified thief, a day after his disqualification in the concealment of assets in the Toshakhana case. Khan, 70, was disqualified on Friday by the Election Commission of Pakistan for failing to inform it about the money he received after selling the state gifts, also known as the Toshakhana case. Addressing a news conference in Lahore, Prime Minister Sharif said Khan had been proven as a certified liar and a thief. He, however, cautioned that this was not a moment of happiness, but one of reflection. Talking about the gifts which Khan purchased at a discounted price from the state depository or Toshakhana and sold at hefty profits, Sharif said he should have auctioned the gifts and deposited the proceeds in the government treasury. He said that he too had once received a letter from the Cabinet Division about being able to buy a state gift after paying a certain amount. I answe

Imran Khan challenges Pak Election Commission's disqualification ruling

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday challenged in Islamabad High Court the top election body's decision to disqualify him from holding public office for five years in the Toshakhana case for hiding proceeds from the sale of gifts he received from foreign leaders. The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician lost membership of the parliament, as well as, barred from contesting elections for five years after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday found him guilty of hiding the proceeds from the sale of precious gifts. He filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) through his counsel Barrister Ali Zafar. Zafar appealed to the court to take up the case immediately for a hearing on Saturday. The IHC accepted the appeal but observed that the matter was not urgent to be dealt with on the same day as the application was filed and set the hearing on Monday.

Imran khan to face long legal battle in wake of disqualification verdict

Former prime minister Imran Khan will have to go through a gruelling legal battle to regain his political turf in the wake of his disqualification from holding public office for five years in the Toshakhana case for hiding proceeds from the sale of gifts he received from foreign leaders, according to a media report. Khan on Friday lost membership of Parliament, as well as, barred from contesting elections for five years after the Election Commission of Pakistan, the top constitutional election body, found him guilty of hiding the proceeds from the sale of precious gifts which he got as prime minister from different heads of states. However, there is confusion about whether the five-year disqualification would apply only to the five years term of the current assembly, or whether the disqualification period would start from the date of the verdict by the ECP. The tenure of the current national assembly began in August 2018 and would be completed in 2023. Khan already tendered his ...

Pak needs to take credible, verifiable action against terrorism: India

The world should remain clear that Pakistan must continue to take "credible, verifiable and irreversible" action against terrorism, India said on Friday after anti-money laundering watchdog FATF removed the neighbouring country from its 'grey list'. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) took off Pakistan from a list of countries under increased monitoring, also known as the 'grey list'. "It is in global interest that the world remains clear that Pakistan must continue to take credible, verifiable, irreversible and sustained action against terrorism and terrorist financing emanating from territories under its control," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. He was replying to media queries on the issue. "As a result of FATF scrutiny, Pakistan has been forced to take some action against well-known terrorists, including those involved in attacks against the entire international community in Mumbai on 26/11," Bagchi said. "We understand that Pakistan

Imran Khan found guilty of corrupt practices by Pak EC; disqualified

The four-member bench headed by Pak CEC Sikander Sultan Raja unanimously disqualified Khan for five years as the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and a member of the national assembly

PM Shehbaz welcomes FATF's decision to remove Pakistan from its grey list

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday welcomed the FATF's decision to remove his country from its grey list, describing the development as a vindication of our determined and sustained efforts over the years. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global watchdog on terror financing and money laundering, on Friday removed Pakistan from a list of countries under increased monitoring, also known as the grey list. Responding to the development, Prime Minister Sharif said Pakistan's exit from the FATF grey list was a vindication of our determined and sustained efforts over the years. The removal from the grey list is also an admission of Pakistan's sacrifices in the war against terrorism, he said. I would like to congratulate our civil and military leadership as well as all institutions whose hard work led to today's success, he said. Sharif particularly commended the role and efforts of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and

Pakistan taken off FATF's grey list for terror financing, money laundering

Pakistan has been taken off from the grey list of the FATF, the global watchdog on terror financing and money laundering, four years after the country was put in the infamous categorisation. Significantly, for the first time, the FATF put Myanmar in the "high risk jurisdictions subject to a call for action", often referred to as the watchdog's black list. In a statement, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said it welcomes Pakistan's significant progress in improving its anti-money laundering, combating financial terrorism (AML/CFT) regime. The decision was taken by the FATF in its plenary held in Paris on October 20-21. "Pakistan has strengthened the effectiveness of its AML/CFT regime and addressed technical deficiencies to meet the commitments of its action plans regarding strategic deficiencies that the FATF identified in June 2018 and June 2021, the latter of which was completed in advance of the deadlines, encompassing 34 action items in total. "Pakistan is therefore n

Pakistan may exit global terror watchdog FATF's grey list on Friday

After four years, Pakistan on Friday may exit the grey list of the global watchdog on terror financing and money laundering FATF, a development that will allow it to try to get foreign funding to tide over its precarious financial situation. Till June, Pakistan had completed most of the action items given to it 2018 by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and a few item which were left unfulfilled including its failure to take action against UN designated terrorists, including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and his trusted aide and the group's 'operational commander' Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. Azhar, Saeed and Lakhvi are most wanted terrorists in India for their involvement in numerous terrorist acts, including 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and bombing of a CRPF bus at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. Pakistan was put in the inglorious list in 2018 for its failure to check risk of money laundering, leading to corruption and terro

Travelling to Pakistan not BCCI's call, government will decide: Roger Binny

The BCCI can't take a call on its own on whether the Indian team will travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup or not as it relies on the government to make such decisions, new Board president Rogery Binny said on Thursday. Speaking at an event organised by Karnataka State Cricket Association here, Binny said the BCCI has not approached the government yet on travelling to Pakistan next year but eventually the central government will only decide on the matter. "That is not BCCI's call. We need government's clearance to leave the country. Whether we leave the country or teams coming into the country, we need clearance. "Once we get clearance from the government then we go with it. We can't make decision on our own. We have to rely on the government. We have not approached them yet," said World Cup winner Binny. The Asia Cup is scheduled to be played in Pakistan in September next year, ahead of the ODI World Cup in India. Binny's comments came after BCCI secretary Jay Shah said the

Terror attacks in Pakistan jump by 51% after Taliban took over Afghanistan

Pakistan witnessed a record 51 per cent increase in the number of terrorist attacks in a single year after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, according to new data

China holds India, US proposal to list Shahid Mahmood as global terrorist

China has put a hold on a proposal by India and the US at the United Nations to list Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Shahid Mahmood as a global terrorist, the fourth instance in as many months that Beijing has blocked bids to blacklist terrorists at the world organisation. It is learnt that China placed a hold on the proposal by India and the US to designate Mahmood as a global terrorist under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council. This is the fourth time in as many months that China has put a hold on listing proposals to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee regime. The US Treasury Department designated Mahmood a global terrorist in December 2016.

In a snub to India, US Congress approves of Pakistan's F-16 package

Ignoring India's objections to Pakistans F-16 package, the US Congress cleared a proposed foreign military sale valued at $450 million for maintenance and sustainment services of the fighter jet

Pakistan: World Bank estimates floods caused $40 bn in damages

Pakistan said Wednesday that the World Bank estimates this summer's record-breaking floods have caused $40 billion in damages in this impoverished South Asian nation. The figure is $10 billion more than an earlier estimate by the Pakistani government. Cash-strapped Pakistan was already facing a serious financial crisis before the heavy monsoon rains hit in mid-June. The rains triggered unprecedented floods that at one point left a third of the country's territory submerged, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to move to safer places. The new assessment came during a meeting in the capital, Islamabad, between Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and experts on climate change. There was no immediate word from the World Bank on the new estimate. The flooding, which experts say is made worse by climate change, has killed 1,719 people and affected 33 million since mid-June. The waters have damaged or washed away 2 million homes. Sharif's government last month offered an estimate of $30 ...

Pakistan seeks billions of dollars in new loans after floods

Pakistan will ask international lenders for billions of dollars in loans after devastating floods exacerbated the South Asian nation's economic crisis, the media reported on Wednesday

Pakistan minister Hina Rabbani Khar to attend at FATF meet in Paris

Pakistan's junior foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar will attend the plenary session of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris during which the global anti-money laundering watchdog would discuss Islamabad's efforts to exit its grey list. The first FATF Plenary under the two-year Singapore Presidency of T Raja Kumar will take place on October 20-21, according to the Paris-based watchdog. Khar, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, has reached Paris to attend the FATF meeting which would decide whether to remove Pakistan from its grey list, the Daily Times newspaper reported. On Monday, Khar led a Pakistani team in a meeting with Jean-Louis Bourlanges, the head of the foreign affairs committee of the French National Assembly, the paper reported. The FATF's Working Group and Plenary sessions in Paris will be attended by representatives from 206 Global Network members and observer organisations including, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, the World Bank,

Interpol meet: Pak's FIA chief silent on whereabouts of Dawood, Hafiz Saeed

Chief of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency Mohsin Butt chose to remain silent when confronted with questions from the media here on Tuesday about fugitive terrorists Dawood Ibrahim and Hafiz Saeed - suspected to be safely cocooned in his country. Butt, who is in the national capital to attend the 90th General Assembly of Interpol, apparently avoided, till the last minute, entering the plenary hall at the Pragati Maidan, the event venue that was swarming with reporters looking for a statement from him on the whereabouts of the most-wanted terrorists. The officer, who is heading a two-member Pakistan delegation, preferred to stay in the dining hall, where lunch was organised, and entered the venue just before the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was announced. Once Prime Minister Modi's address was over, he was surrounded by reporters who wanted to know about the location of the 1993 Mumbai blast mastermind Dawood Ibrahim, designated as a global terrorist by the United .

Ready to buy fuel from Russia on India's rate: Pak finance minister

Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is on an official visit to the US, has said that Islamabad is ready to buy fuel from Russia on the rate it was providing to India