ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the federal government will overcome the economic crisis and Pakistan will see prosperity and development soon, ARY News reported on Friday.The finance minister said that the drop in foreign reserves was stopped and the government is making efforts to reverse it. He detailed that $126 billion was increased in the national economy from 2013 to 2018, whereas, only $26 billion was increased in the economy in the next five years.“The current account deficit of eight months is below $4 billion. It is a surprise for the whole world that Pakistan does not become Sri Lanka. Pakistan will not default as all debt repayments are made on time. Pakistan has never defaulted nor it will default in future.”READ: ISHAQ DAR SAYS EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO PUT ECONOMY BACK ON TRACKDar said, “We have fulfilled all conditions of the IMF [International Monetary Fund]. However, we should learn how be survive without IMF. Pakistan’s external debt has decreased up to $4 billion. IMF programme will be signed soon and a board meeting will also be held.”The finance minister also sought budget recommendations from the business community. Chinese loan rollover Earlier in the day, rejecting the rumours about the delay in Chinese loan rollover, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that Beijing rolled over its $2 billion loan to Pakistan for one year.Speaking in the Senate on a point raised by PPP leader Raza Rabbani, he rejected speculative a report that appeared in foreign media that Pakistan is still awaiting the rollover of the Chinese loan.READ: ISHAQ DAR CLEARS THE AIR ON SPECULATIONS ABOUT PAKISTAN NUCLEAR ASSETS Ishaq Dar said the rollover was made on March 23. He said the documentation vis-à-vis the roll-over also stands completed and it is no longer in the pipeline.He further said currently Pakistan is having two types of safe deposits with China. One is between the Central Bank of China and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Islamabad is also doing business with the commercial banks of China including, the Bank of China, ICBC and China Development Bank.Islamabad is trying hard to get assurance of external financing from friendly countries to unlock the stalled loan programme of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

KARACHI: As many as three armed robbers looted seven car showrooms in Karachi's Khalid Bin Walid Road and escaped from the scene, ARY News reported on Friday.Three armed robbers looted seven car showrooms simultaneously located on Karachi's Khalid Bin Waleed Road within 25 minutes in broad daylight and managed to escape from the spot.Sources said that the robbers took mobile phones, cash, and other valuables while robbers also opened fire at the locals, fortunately, no one got injured.Moreover, a case has been registered at the Ferozabad police station.Earlier this week, armed robbers looted shopkeepers in the Federal B area of Karachi at iftar time.As per details, the robber came inside the market when a group of shopkeepers were having their iftar in Block 15, Federal B area of Karachi.Two armed robbers looted the cash from the counter and then checked all the nine shopkeepers’ pockets sitting at the shop.While the robbers looted the shop, the shopkeepers didn’t stop having their iftar.After looting the entire money from the counter and the shopkeepers, the robbers escaped the spot of the incident.

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan said that there will be no compromise on the sanctity of constitution and judiciary, ARY News reported on Friday. Talking to senior journalist, the PTI chairman said that Pakistan army is my army and Pakistan is ours. He said that the armed forces are the strength of Pakistan. He maintained that free and fair elections are the solution to the country's problems. He added that PTI would go to any end for democracy. There will be no compromise on the freedom of the judiciary and constitution. The PTI chairman revealed that PTI workers are being abducted from their homes. There is no information on the whereabout of party workers. Imran Khan said that his new life after the murder attempt is in Pakistan. Read more: POLLS DELAY CASE: TOP COURT REJECTS GOVT’S FULL COURT REQUESTThe Secretary-General PFUJ Rana Azeem also said that journalists will fight for the supremacy of the law and constitution and judiciary.Earlier, a three-member new Supreme Court (SC) bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial rejected the government’s request to form a full court on the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election delay case. The petition PTI had challenged the election commission’s decision to change the date of election in Punjab and KP. Punjab and KPK assemblies’ speakers Sibtain Khan and Mushtaq Ghani have filed a joint constitutional petition on behalf of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-InsafThe federation, Punjab and KPK were made parties along with the ministry of parliamentary affairs, ministry of law and the cabinet in the PTI petitionIn the petition, PTI sought directions for the federal government to ensure law and order, provisions of funds and security personnel as per the ECP’s need to hold the elections.It also requested the court to direct the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to announce the date for elections to the provincial assembly.

KARACHI: At least 11 persons including three children were killed in a stampede during the ration distribution at a local factory in Karachi, ARY News reported on Friday.The sorrowful incident took place at a local factory near Siemens Chowrangi in Karachi’s SITE area. Rescue sources confirmed that the deceased persons included three children and mostly women.An eyewitness told ARY News that the deaths were caused by a stampede during Zakat distribution at the factory.Rescue officials said that they also received reports of a blaze due to gas leakage at the factory. They added that they found the narrow streets filled with water which seemingly indicates that the factory workers tried to douse the fire.Police officials told the media that they were not informed about the zakat or ration distribution by the factory staff, otherwise, they will make appropriate arrangements.Rescue teams shifted the bodies and wounded persons to the hospital while several injured ones are critical.Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Keamari Fida Hussain said that the factory administration did not inform the police and district administration regarding their ration distribution plan.SSP Keamari Fida Hussain said that the factory manager along with seven persons was arrested by police. He said that the arrested persons were belonging to the factory administration.He said that SP SITE Mughees Hashmi was given the responsibility to hold an inquiry into the incident and legal action will be taken against the responsible.Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori took notice of the factory stampede incident and sought a report from Commissioner Karachi. He also directed to provide best medical facilities to the wounded persons.

With the onset of summer people are not only anticipate harsher heat but also of power outages. They also are greatly worried about the rampaging inflation that has taken the prices of alternate power solutions out of their grip depriving them of chances of relief during sweltering summer months.The primary reason for the escalating prices of alternate power instruments is the official decision to curb imports of raw material and finished goods to control the current account deficit. This decision has a direct impact not only on the availability of alternate power providers but has also resulted in extremely high prices, an increase that is also due to the fast-receding value of rupee.Since the last decade and a half Pakistanis have started to use two major alternate power solutions for residential consumers and they are generators and UPS powered by batteries, both witnessing significant price hikes.Pakistanis are relentlessly subject to lengthy power cuts that are mostly unscheduled that makes life miserable in harrowingly hot weather. The most problematic aspect of this issue is the abject inability of the official authorities to do anything about it particularly in wake of a grave fuel shortage along with years of mismanagement of the power sector.The consequences are borne by the hapless people of the country who have started to suffer enormously particularly during the night when they have nowhere to go. To exacerbate the situation is fuel cost that rules out the use of generators for those who possess them and UPS systems are unable to be fully recharged. Water supply is also curtailed due to the power cuts.The general complaint is that the prices of alternate power solutions have skyrocketed to more than one hundred per cent since the PDM government is in power. It is also complained that the lack of government oversight on the manufacturers is instrumental as they are jacking up the prices on various pretexts.It is pointed out that the government should check whether the prices are being raised for genuine reasons or not. People mention that the current situation is bad news for consumers planning to buy such items as their prices have gone out of their reach.Power generators and Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) units have become very dear and their pieces are escalating by the day. Many experts point out that generally people consider UPS as the ultimate solution to power shortage yet they are not informed that the UPS installed in homes consume as much electricity as heavy-duty electrical appliances and the resultant high electricity bill could be as much a shock as the health hazards the UPS units pose. A UPS can consume as much electricity as a ton or ton-and-a-half air conditioner and it is described this most popular alternative to load-shedding as one that costs people more than they could save.In this context it is mentioned that that in four to five hours charging time, a UPS could easily consume 700 to 800 Watts of electricity making the electric meter spin even faster. This clearly implies that installing UPS units and generators offset the very idea of load-shedding and reducing consumption of fuels.It is variously pointed out that people need to understand that we have load-shedding to meet the power shortfall. Since the UPS is charged from the same system it ends up overburdening it. It is also mentioned that markets are flooded with substandard UPS and second hand generators that are imported in bulk. Even worse are the locally manufactured UPS units that come without safety devices/instructions and energy-saving components. There is no performance criterion and people buy whatever their hick electricians recommend.Environmentalists point out that that there are no noise or emission standards drawn on installation of generators and the smell of fuel burning inside is another nuisance. From small generators in galleries or sidewalks installed at different markets and in the houses to giant generators outside offices, the noise is unbearable and so is the smell of petrol and diesel during power outages and it becomes difficult to even breathe. If people thought UPS was heavy on their pockets, the cost on health of installing UPS attached with lead batteries in TV lounges and corridors, behind sofas and TV trolleys was far greater than anyone could imagine.It is estimated that about 60 to 70 per cent people have UPS in their homes without being informed that they destroys indoor air quality because the acid inside the lead battery gives off vapours and fumes that collect in one place which can cause serious health concerns. The plates inside a lead battery boil the heavy water that then produces hydrogen and other poisonous gases and young children are most vulnerable because they tend to suck their fingers or objects that might be contaminated with dust and because their growing bodies absorbed lead readily. Young children absorbed up to 50 per cent of lead that was taken into their body, compared to ten to 15 per cent in adults.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) social media head Azhar Mashwani has returned home, ARY News reported on Friday. الحمدللہ میں ابھی بخیر و عافیت گھر واپس پہنچ چکا ہوںان 8 دنوں میں آپ کی دعاؤں، کاوشوں اور سپورٹ نے تاعمر کے لیے ہمیں مقروض کر دیا ہے - جزاک اللہ 🙏🏼دعا ہے کہ ہمارے دیگر اسیر کارکنان بھی جلد اپنی فیملیز کے ساتھ افطاری کریں۔ — Azhar Mashwani (@MashwaniAzhar) March 31, 2023 Mashwani went missing on March 23, whereas, his wife wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial to take notice.Azhar Mashwani tweeted that he prays, all the other PTI workers who are in custody will soon break fast with their families.Read more: LHC ORDERS TO PRODUCE AZHAR MASHWANI BEFORE COURTEarlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered to produce Azhar Mashwani, the focal person on Digital Media to PTI chief Imran Khan, before court.The Lahore High Court had also summoned record of the case registered against him.The former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had also condemned the ‘abduction’ of the party’s social media head Mashwani, castigating Islamabad and Punjab police for ‘breaking all the laws with impunity’.

KARACHI: Aircraft Owners and Operators Association of Pakistan (PAOOA) on Friday opposed the coalition government’s “unilateral” decision to outsource country’s top airports without following the PPRA rules, ARY News reported on Friday.The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had approved the draft Transaction Advisory Agreement reached with the International Finance Corporation for outsourcing of three airports.The ECC was informed that the outsourcing of three airports has been initiated within the scope of the Public-Private Partnership Act-2017 to engage private investor through a competitive and transparent process to run the airports, develop appertaining land assets and enhance avenues for commercial activities and to garner full revenue potential.In a statement today, the association condemned the government's decision to award contracts to IFC and World Bank (WB) regarding the outsourcing of three airports.“All the proceedings of outsourcing of major airports have been kept secret by government, making the whole process doubtful and dubious,” the statement read.The statement said no country outsources its money-making assets like the airports to a third country which cannot run its own airport, adding that the government has outsourced its major airports to a Singaporean company which is being run by “Indians”.Read More: GOVT INITIATES OUTSOURCING OF THREE AIRPORTS, ECC TOLDEventually, it will be Indians managing our major airports, it added.“In the next 30 years, the country’s airports have a potential of generating more than Rs2700bn and we are outsourcing them for Rs850bn,” the statement said.It further added that PAOOA Pakistan will serve a legal notice to Govt of Pakistan and the IFC, World Bank for malpractice and dodging the Pakistan laws.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the dissolution of the Supreme Court bench is not less than a national tragedy, ARY News reported on Friday. As per details, the interior minister said that the supreme court bench started the hearing on Punjab and KP election delay case with nine members but it has now left with four members.He said that the behaviour of senior judiciary is disappointing as justice Jamal Mandokhail revealed that he was not consulted before the final decision, the interior minister added.Rana Sanaullah maintained that the bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa has announced a detailed verdict on the sou motu. He added that he has never seen the supreme court verdict disaffected through a circular.He lambasted PTI chief Imran Khan who started in 2014 and landed the country in an economic crisis in 2023. If the reference was not filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa then the situation would have been different now.Read more: POLLS DELAY CASE: TOP COURT REJECTS GOVT’S FULL COURT REQUESTThe interior minister further said that the provincial assemblies also raised because the PTI chairman Imran Khan dissolved the assemblies before the completion of the tenure.He said that the election delay case should be heard by a full court because justice must be seen to be done.Earlier today, a three-member new Supreme Court (SC) bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial rejected the government’s request to form a full court on the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election delay case. The petition PTI had challenged the election commission’s decision to change the date of an election in Punjab and KP. Punjab and KPK assemblies’ speakers Sibtain Khan and Mushtaq Ghani have filed a joint constitutional petition on behalf of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-InsafThe federation, Punjab and KPK were made parties along with the ministry of parliamentary affairs, ministry of law and the cabinet in the PTI petitionIn the petition, PTI sought directions for the federal government to ensure law and order, provisions of funds and security personnel as per the ECP’s need to hold the elections.It also requested the court to direct the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to announce the date for elections to the provincial assembly.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday approved the withdrawal of the curative review reference and Civil Miscellaneous Application (CMA) against senior Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa.The president gave the approval on the advice of the prime minister in accordance with Article 48 of the Constitution.Dr Alvi also signed his power of attorney in favour of Advocate Supreme Court Anees Ahmed Shehzad.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday directed the law ministry to withdraw the curative review reference filed against Supreme Court’s senior judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa.According to the statement released PM Office, the prime minister has directed Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to withdraw the curative review reference against Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa as it was politically motivated.The premier further said CRR was filed only to defame Justice Qazi Faez Isa and his family members. “This was not a reference rather a victimization by revengeful Imran Khan against an impartial person pursuing the course of constitution and the law.”“This was a conspiracy to usurp the independence of judiciary and create a division within,” the prime minister remarked.Read: Letter to President: London properties owned by children, says Justice Faez IsaThe Supreme Court (SC) on June 19, dismissed the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa after declaring it ‘invalid’.The detailed verdict released by the apex court nullified the presidential reference against Justice Isa and termed the reference as a violation of the law and the Constitution.

RAWALPINDI: The security forces on Friday killed a terrorist and injured two in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted in Noshman area of Sibi district, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).According to the ISPR, the security forces had initiated an IBO from March 30 onwards to intercept a group of terrorists operating in Noshman, South of Sibi.The forces based on credible information, laid multiple ambushes along different routes in the area frequented by terrorists for the last two days, the press release said.Resultantly, a party of three terrorists was intercepted while moving towards their hideout. However, on being blocked, they opened fire onto the security forces.During a heavy exchange of fire, one terrorist was killed while two others were injured whereas a cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered.The terrorists were involved in targeting of civilians in the area besides harassment of coal mine owners.“Pakistan Army remains determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan,” the ISPR said.Earlier today, a Pakistan Army soldier was martyred during an exchange of fire with terrorists in the general area of Mir Ali North Waziristan district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.According to the military’s media wing, the security forces personnel fought bravely and effectively engaged the terrorists’ location.However, during an intense exchange of fire, Sepoy Irshadullah (age 29 years, resident of District Karak), having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom.

KARACHI: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Friday announced a reduction in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by Rs49 per kg for the month of April, ARY News reported.According to the notification released by OGRA, the price of LPG is cut down by Rs49 per kg while the domestic cylinder of LPG has been made cheaper by Rs576 and its new price has been fixed at Rs2,702.READ: OGRA JACKS UP LPG PRICESThe price of the commercial cylinder has been fixed at Rs2,214 per kg.Earlier in February, the OGRA notified an increase in LPG prices and hiked the sales tax on the domestic cylinder.The authority hiked Rs27 on the domestic cylinder and the sales tax was increased from 17% to 18%. After hiking the sales tax, the price was increased to Rs3.21 per kilogram.

ISLAMABAD: A three-member new Supreme Court (SC) bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial rejected the government’s request to form a full court on the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election delay case, ARY News reported on Friday.Following the recusal of Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Aminuddin, the three-member bench resumed hearing the PTI plea against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision to delay polls and rejected the full court request put forward by Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on behalf of the government.The bench was disbanded for the second time today as the original five-member top court bench was dissolved following the recusal of Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail while Justice Aminuddin Khan withdrew himself from the Supreme Court bench a day earlier.As soon as the proceeding began, Justice Mandokhail recused himself from the case. Justice Mandokhail said that despite being a member of the bench, he wasn’t consulted regarding the formation of the new bench. Today's hearing As the proceeding commenced, the chairperson of the Executive Council of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) appeared before the top court.However, the CJP maintained that the PBC officeholder would be heard later, to which Pasha stated that the bar had nothing to do with supporting anyone.“SC should hold a full-court session if they cannot form a full-court bench,” said Pasha.Here, the CJP said that the bench was considering taking that measure and added that the relationship between the judges was “good”.Pasha, however, stated that yesterday and today, two judges excused themselves from hearing the matter, and the CJP told him to meet him in his chambers regarding that issue.“Today is the first time you have come to the court, prove yourself by actions, not by words,” Justice Bandial advised. He added that the president of the Supreme Court Bar had been in touch with him.During the hearing, the AGP requested the court to 'lower the rising temperatures across the country'.Justice Bandial said that the court always gave precedence to the Constitution and that the Constitution and democracy had to be kept alive. He added that those in prison very recently were now addressing the National Assembly.Commenting on the case, he said that the 90-day deadline for holding Punjab Assembly polls as per the Constitution stands expired in April.AGP Awan then again requested the formation of a full court to hear the case which was turned by apex court.The top court summoned the secretary defence and finance on next hearing and adjourned the further proceedings until Monday. SC sets aside Justice Faez Isa's ruling The Supreme Court (SC) office on Friday rejected Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s observation regarding suo moto notices hearing.On Wednesday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court ordered to adjourn the hearing of cases of constitutional importance and suo motu notices.A three-member bench of the court issued the order in a case of giving grace marks to Hafiz-e-Quran. The nine-page decision was written by Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, while Justice Shahid Waheed dissented from the decision.“Justice Qazi Faez Isa used suo moto powers in judgment,” the SC Registrar Office said in a circular and added the judgment of Justice Isa and Justice Aminuddin does not apply to the larger bench hearing cases related to 184/3.The SC while rejecting the decision of a three-member bench in a case of giving extra marks to Hafiz-e-Quran, turned down Qazi Faez Isa’s ruling in the case.It may be noted that initially, a five-member bench was hearing PTI’s plea against the postponement of elections in Punjab by the Election Commission of Pakistan.Punjab and KPK assemblies’ speakers Sibtain Khan and Mushtaq Ghani have filed a joint constitutional petition on behalf of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf. The petition PTI had challenged the election commission’s decision to change the date of election in Punjab and KP. Punjab and KPK assemblies’ speakers Sibtain Khan and Mushtaq Ghani have filed a joint constitutional petition on behalf of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-InsafThe federation, Punjab and KPK were made parties along with the ministry of parliamentary affairs, ministry of law and the cabinet in the PTI petitionIn the petition, PTI sought directions for the federal government to ensure law and order, provisions of funds and security personnel as per the ECP’s need to hold the elections.It also requested the court to direct the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to announce the date for elections to the provincial assembly.

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan will chair the core committee meeting of the party in Lahore on Friday (today), ARY News reported. According to PTI leader Musarat Jamsheed Cheema, the PTI core committee meeting will be held at 9pm at Zaman Park. The senior leadership of the party will attend the meeting, in which important decisions will be taken in accordance with the political situation of the country.Miss Cheema said the meeting will also consider movement regarding the independence of the judiciary. Furthermore, matters related to delay in elections will also come under discussion.Read more: SC office sets aside Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s observationEarlier, a four-member bench of the Supreme Court hearing the PTI petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision to delay polls in Punjab was dissolved once again after Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail excused himself from hearing the case.The bench was disbanded for the second time as the original five-member top court bench was dissolved following the recusal of Justice Aminuddin Khan on Thursday.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to extend the date for receiving applications under the regular Hajj scheme till Sunday while date for sponsorship Hajj scheme was extended till April 9thAccording to the Ministry of Religious Affairs spokesperson, the decision to this effect was taken keeping in view the difficulties confronted by overseas Pakistanis in sending their remittances.He said the overseas Pakistanis have to send amount to the dollar account of the Ministry of Religious Affairs through TT or wire transfer, while the applicant or any of his relative will have to maintain liaison with the concerned bank for verification and processing of the remitted amount.The spokesperson said the applicants who will send their application under Sponsorship Hajj Scheme will be declared successful without balloting.He further stated that all the designated banks will remain open for receiving Hajj applications on Saturdays and Sundays as well.

LAHORE: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Friday arrested nine terrorists of banned outfit from Sargodha and Rawalpindi, ARY News reported.According to the CTD officials, raids were conducted in several districts of Punjab including Sargodha, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala.The arrested terrorist includes Nazir, Fahad, Arshad, Usman, Sher Muhammad, Tahir and Wazir Rasheed.The CTD recovered explosives, suicide jackets and other weapons from the possession of the terrorists. Read more: CTD ARRESTS 5 TERROR SUSPECTS FROM LAHOREThe police have conducted 340 combing and search operations across Punjab and arrested 41 people on suspicion.The terrorist network had planned to carry out attacks in sensitive districts.As per details, the suspects were arrested in the CTD operation include a banned outfit commander.The arrested terrorist had already planned to carry out an attack in sensitive districts.Apart from suicide jackets, explosives, guns, ammunition and literature pertaining to terror activities were recovered from the five suspects.

KARACHI: Pakistan customs intelligence on Friday foiled an attempt to smuggle 8103kg expired honey in Bahadurabad area of Karachi, ARY News reported on Friday.According to customs officials, the smugglers planned to sell the expired honey in the market after changing the expiry date as the officials have confiscated an expiry date machine as well.The official said that the recovered machine and honey are worth more than Rs 2 crore. In a separate raid, the customs officials recovered 30140kg Kenyan black tea from a warehouse in the Site area Haroonabad.The black tea recovered by the customs officials is worth Rs 3.6 crore. The total value of the recovered items is Rs 5.7 crore.Read more: CUSTOMS SEIZES NON-DUTY PAID GOODS WORTH RS160M IN KARACHIThe customs officials have registered FIRs against all the accused under the customs act. Earlier, Pakistan Customs in a grand operation seized non-duty paid goods worth over Rs160 million in Karachi.The raids were carried out in different areas of Karachi by Pakistan Customs’ anti-smuggling team.In an action on a tip-off in Liaquatabad, the Pakistan customs team recovered smuggled gutka, cigarettes and chalia (betel nuts) in huge quantities from a bus. The record items are said to be worth Rs26 million. 

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting the rumors about the delay in Chinese loan rollover, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has confirmed that Beijing has rolled over its $2 billion loan to Pakistan for one year, ARY News reported.Speaking in the Senate today on a point raised by PPP leader Raza Rabbani, he rejected speculative a report that appeared in foreign media that Pakistan is still awaiting the rollover of the Chinese loan.Ishaq Dar said the rollover was made on March 23. He said the documentation vis-à-vis the roll-over also stands completed and it is no longer in the pipeline.He further said currently Pakistan is having two types of safe deposits with China. One is between the Central Bank of China nad State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Islamabad is also doing business with the commercial banks of China including, Bank of China, ICBC and China Development Bank.Islamabad is trying hard to get assurance of external financing from friendly countries to unlock the stalled loan programme of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).Earlier it emerged that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is likely to raise the interest rate by 2 per cent at the upcoming meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) as per IMF's demand.

ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad on Friday converted a non-bailable arrest warrant issued against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan into a bailable one in a woman judge threatening case, ARY News reported.Additional District and Session Judge Sikandar Khan announced the verdict after hearing arguments on warrant review petition filed by the former premier.The session judge also ordered the PTI chairman to submit surety bonds worth Rs20,000.It may be mentioned here that a senior civil judge had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Imran Khan till March 29, while Imran Khan had challenged the verdict.Yesterday, the district and sessions court in Islamabad suspended the non-bailable arrest warrant issued for former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan for 24 hours.Read more: IMRAN KHAN’S ARREST WARRANT IN JUDGE THREATENING CASE SUSPENDEDPTI chief’s lawyers Ali Bukhari and Faisal Chaudhry appeared before the court for a review appeal hearing against a non-bailable arrest warrant in a female judge ‘threatening’ remarks case.Chaudhry, while highlighting the flaws in the decision of issuing a non-bailable arrest warrant for his client, pleaded with the Islamabad court to suspend it. The case The PTI chairman on Aug 20 condemned police as well as the judiciary over the alleged custodial torture on Shahbaz Gill and announced that his party would file cases against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, the DIG and AD&SJ Zeba Chaudhry.He was booked under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). Besides, Islamabad High Court (IHC) also initiated contempt of court proceedings against him.

KARACHI: Armed robbers have looted shopkeepers in the Federal B area of Karachi at iftar time, ARY News reported on Friday.As per details, the robber came inside the market when a group of shopkeepers were having their iftar in Block 15, Federal B area of Karachi.Two armed robbers looted the cash from the counter and then checked all the nine shopkeepers' pockets sitting at the shop.While the robbers looted the shop, the shopkeepers didn't stop having their iftar.After looting the entire money from the counter and the shopkeepers, the robbers escaped the spot of the incident.Earlier in February, the Additional Inspector General (AIG) Karachi Javed Alam Odho stated in his report that 131 street crime incidents took place in the metropolis within 24 hours.Read more: ROBBERS TAKE AWAY JEWELLERY, CASH WORTH MILLIONSThe AIG spokesperson report stated that 131 street crime incidents included 37 incidents of mobile phone and cash snatching in a day.In another incident on March 5, eight armed robbers took away cash and gold ornaments worth more than Rs7 million from a house in Karachi’s Scheme 33 area.The armed robbers broke into house of a businessman in Karachi’s Scheme 33 area and took the family hostage at gunpoint and looted Rs90,000 in cash 35 tolas of gold worth over Rs7 million and a 9mm pistol.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday showed resentment over the construction of underpasses in Lahore, ARY News reported.LHC Justice Shahid Karim while hearing a case related to seeking remedies for the increasing threat of smog, remarked traffic problems can be solved by re-modeling the roads instead of constructing underpasses.Justice Shahid Karim further remarked that "People don't even understand the traffic police." Traffic police need to be empowered more, he added.The LHC judge observed that no one in Dubai is brave enough to argue with traffic police if stopped.During the hearing, the court allowed all bakeries to work until one o'clock at night till Eid-ul-Fitr, while ordering the immediate sealing of illegal parking around private goods۔Later, the hearing was adjourned for a week.Read more: LHC bans tree felling to curb smogIn the last hearing, the Lahore High Court (LHC) imposed a ban on cutting trees in Lahore.LHC’s Justice Shahid Karim issued directives while hearing a petition seeking curbs to control smog in Lahore.Justice Karim remarked that the smog situation in Lahore is already very bad and it shouldn’t be worsened by cutting the trees.He also asked for introducing a law to declare tree-cutting a crime.