Siasat Wala Blog

LOS ANGELES: Taylor Swift is not staying silent over the sale of her masters to Scooter Braun. In a scathing  Tumblr post  Sunday, the pop superstar writes she is sad and grossed out that her music catalog now belongs to Braun, whom she accuses of subjecting her to years of incessant and manipulative bullying, referencing clashes with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. “This is my worst case scenario,” Swift writes. Braun’s Ithaca Holdings announced Sunday that it is acquiring Big Machine Label Group, which released all of Swift’s studio albums and owns her masters. Swift says she learned of the sale Sunday. Swift left Big Machine and signed with Universal Music Group in November because she says she knew that re-signing with the group that had managed her since she was 15 would only result in her not owning her future work. “When I left my masters in (Big Machine Label Group founder Scott Borchetta’s) hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually he would sell them,” she writes.

LAHORE: The railway travel becomes expensive with hike in fares upto eight percent by the Pakistan Railways from today, ARY news reported on Monday. The raise in train fares will come into effect from July 1st, a spokesperson of Pakistan Railway earlier said. The fares of all trains have been increased by two to 8.5 percent, the spokesman said. There will not be any increase in fares of destinations with less than 50-kilometre distance, railway spokesperson said. The railway fare for the economy class has been increased by 100 rupees, while fares of all special trains brought to the level of the Karakoram Express, railway spokesman said. The fares of Hazara Express and Farid Express will equalize to Tezgam on August 14 and 21 respectively, the railway spokesman said. Railways salon fares have been enhanced by eight percent, statement said. The hike in fares will be applicable to all classes of trains. Earlier, railways minister Shaikh Rashid had informed the media that railway

Beginning of the next fiscal year today (Monday) brings implementation of new taxes and duties agreed upon in the Federal Budget, ARY News reported. Hike in gas prices set to get underway from today whereas, excise duty was also increased in the cement sector. Read More: Utility Stores enhance prices of several general use items A sack of cement is expected to go up by Rs 35, the price of the cement will be gauged by gas prices in the country. Sales tax on sugar has been bumped up 17% from the previous 8 %. Gas price hike is also expected to impact the fertilizer industry, where artificial fertilizers are expected to go up by Rs 210 bringing the new price of a sack to Rs 2040. Earlier on June 30, the federal government had decided not to increase the petroleum prices for the month of July. Read More: Prime Minister Imran Khan takes stern notice of extraordinary price hikes The current prices of the petroleum will remain in effect for the month of July, said a notification by t

KARACHI: Keeping the security and safety of the riders in view, Deputy Inspector General Police Traffic Javed Mahar on Monday warned motorbike riders to wear helmets while travelling at the city’s main road artillery Shahra-e-Faisal. “No biker would be allowed to use Shahra-e-Faisal without a helmet”, said DIG Traffic in his statement issued here from Karachi, today. Mahar said those found violating the rules will not only be challaned but their motorbike will also be seized and the will only be returned back to the owner after showing helmet. He said helmet sale stalls at the discounted prices have been set up at the 13 spots of Shahra-e-Faisal with the cooperation of traders. More than 400 helmets have been distributed so far, he continued. On January 7, DIG Traffic Police, Javed Mehar had said no motorcyclist without a helmet would be able to get petrol in the city. Read more: No petrol for motorcyclists without helmets in Karachi A letter to commissioner Karachi was written

As the deadline has passed for the biometric verification, the bank accounts which failed to transfer on the biometric system will be blocked from Monday (today). As per State Bank’s order, all account holders were asked to verify their bank accounts biometrically; in case of noncompliance, the unverified accounts were directed to be closed by June 30. To facilitate customers, banks remained opened on Sunday as well. According to details, about millions of accounts have been transferred to the biometric system across the country. The spokesperson of National Bank said, “Over 3 million accounts have been shifted to the biometric system and approximately 80 percent account holders have completed the biometric verification process.” In June, various banks launched a special mobile phone application for the biometric verification of accounts. The customers of banks could download the app on their phones to complete the biometric verification process at their homes. It is pertinent

KARACHI: Verdict over Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani’s assets beyond means case will be announced today (Monday), ARY News reported. The decision on the case had been reserved on the previous hearing and would be announced today. The hearing on the case was adjourned after Durrani entered the court premises earlier in the day. The reference against the speaker was filed in an Accountability court seeking his imprisonment and resignation from the speaker’s post. The arguments from both sides had ended in the last hearing after which the judgment on the case was reserved. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB)  had recently filed reference pertaining to assets beyond means of income against Agha Siraj Durrani and other. Read More: Accountability Court hears assets reference against Agha Siraj Durrani The NAB named 20 persons including Agha Siraj as accused in the reference filed in an accountability court in Karachi after an inquiry, which continued for three months

ISLAMABAD: Around 90,000 people benefited from the Assets Declaration Scheme, sources at Federal Board of Revenue said on Monday. ARY News citing FBR sources, reported that around 42 billion rupees were deposited in the government exchequer with respect to the assets declaration scheme. Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Sunday announced the government’s decision to extend the deadline of the assets scheme till July 3. According to sources, the number of the beneficiaries of the scheme likely to reach to 1,00,000 till the expiry of the scheme. Total volume of the tax revenue from the amnesty scheme could likely to reach 70 billion rupees, sources further said. The FBR missed its annual revenue collection target of Rs4.150 trillion in Fiscal Year 2018-19, which ended on June 30 (yesterday). The tax authority received Rs3.820 trillion in revenues, missing the tax target by nearly Rs330 billion despite a better response to the tax amnesty scheme. It is to

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) stalwart Aleem Khan asks to be released in a case filed in reference of not being forthcoming on his original asset details during the times of By-elections, ARY News reported. The sessions court in Lahore proceeding on the case was asked to release the PTI member citing that the prosecution by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the politician were illegal. The court then invited lawyers from both parties to step forth and present their arguments upon the matter at a later date. The court adjourned further proceedings till July 13. Read More: Opposition failed massively in their endeavors against govt: CM Punjab Earlier, The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had taken the former Punjab senior minister into custody on Feb 7 after he reportedly failed to satisfy the bureau’s officials about sources of his income in connection with his offshore companies. The accountability court on February 8 remanded Aleem Khan for nine day

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday served notices to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and other concerned in a plea filed by Pakistan People’s Party MNA Aijaz Jakhrani, seeking removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL). NAB Rawalpindi is carrying out an inquiry against Jakhrani in a case related to the customs duty payment for an armored carrier of the PPP leader from a fake account. At the outset of the hearing, Jakhrani’s counsel in his arguments said, the name of a person cannot be placed on the ECL just on the grounds of inquiry. “My client’s name was placed on the list over political victimization”, he said. Later, the SHC while ordering both the parties to submit their replies in the court adjourned the hearing till July 9. Former federal minister Jakhrani, currently a PPP MNA from Jacobabad had denied the charges level by the anti-graft watchdog body against him and termed these baseless and as an alleged attempt of political victimization. It ma

ISLAMABAD: Special Advisor to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan termed the meeting of PML-N MPAs with PM Imran Khan a ‘revolt’ against the leadership of former ruling party.  In a tweet on Monday, she said Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz leader Rana Sanaullah has accepted the emergence of rebellion within his party, which is a proof of evident cracks in the PML-N. “The meeting of Punjab assembly members with the prime minister is the revolt against the dictatorial mindset of the N-League leadership.” رانا ثناءاللہ کا اپنی صفوں میں بغاوت کا اعتراف ن لیگ کے سیاسی مورچے میں واضح شگاف کا ثبوت ہے۔پنجاب سے تعلق رکھنے والے اراکین اسمبلی کی وزیراعظم سے ملاقات ن لیگی قیادت کی آمرانہ سوچ، شاہانہ مزاج اور سیاسی لمیٹڈ کمپنی کے خلاف بغاوت ہے۔ یہ ارکان موروثی غلامی کے لئے تیار نہیں۔ — Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousPTI) July 1, 2019 She further wrote, “Neither the N-League has a narrative nor a leadership.” ن لیگ کے پاس نہ تو کوئی بیانیہ ہے اور نہ ہی قیادت۔جمہ

LAHORE: The court today (Monday) proceeding on an appeal filed by Pakistan Railways against the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) tax notice, halted any action against the state institute till a decision on the appeal was made by the court, ARY News reported. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had sent Pakistan Railways a tax notice worth Rs 170 million which was appealed against by the state institute in the court of law. The court issuing orders to the commissioner for land revenue has asked for a decision on the query in 30 days time. The Pakistan Railways in its appeal has maintained that they have been paying taxes diligently. Read More: PM Imran to inaugurate Sir Syed Express on July 3: Sheikh Rasheed   Whereas, the FBR has contended that the state institute was sent tax notices after an audit of their past 3 year record. Showing his happiness over the Supreme Court’s judgment regarding handing over Royal Palm Club to the Pakistan Railways, Sheikh Rasheed reached Prime Mini

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Spokesperson, Dr Shahbaz Gill on Monday said 15 lawmakers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not attend the budget session of the Punjab Assembly. In his tweet, Gill said those who met with Prime Minister Imran Khan are separate 15 members from the PML-N ranks, while he claimed there are 31 other lawmakers on the board. “Rana Sahab said he will surround the houses of those who leave the party, Rana Sahab make arrangements to surround houses of 46 people”, he said in his tweet. پنجاب اسمبلی بجٹ اجلاس میں سے 15 ارکان غائب تھے۔ وہ ان 15 سے مختلف ہیں (جنکی وزیراعظم سے ملاقات ہوئی)۔ اسکے علاوہ 31 لوگ اور ہیں، [15+31=46] رانا صاحب (نے کہا تھا کہ پارٹی چھوڑنے والوں کے گھروں کا گیھراؤ کرونگا) تو 46 لوگوں کے گھروں کا گھیراؤ کرنے کا انتظام کرلیں۔ pic.twitter.com/kcgbUCqGYo — Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) July 1, 2019 On Sunday, Dr Gill had said that PML-N was going through the tussle of leadership between Hamza Shehbaz and Maryam Nawaz. Read m

LAHORE: Chief Minister of Punjab Sardar Usman Ahmad Buzdar today (Monday) said that the opposition may never develop trust amongst each other, ARY News reported. The Chief Minister went on to claim that the opposition’s union was unnatural and would not last long. “Those who were trying to create anarchy are in fact facing anarchy within their ranks,” said Buzdar. Buzdar also claimed that the All Parties Conference (APC) proved to be a massive failure and had desecrated whatever credibility the opposition had. Speaking about the Punjab government, Buzdar opined that the government was squarely focused on human development. Read More: CM Buzdar deploys Dolphin force in Murree for tourists’ security He stated: “The Punjab government is not working for personal pomp and show projects which are done for the sake of optics, rather focusing on raising the standards of living and empowering the common man.” Earlier, Chief Minister of Punjab, Sardar Usman Ahmed Khan Buzdar addressing t

LAHORE: Taking notice of increasing crime and misbehaviour with the tourists in Murree, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has deployed Dolphin Force in the area in order to ensure the safety of citizens and tourists. Recently, the videos of tourists being harassed by local traders in Murree had gone viral on the various platforms of social media. Not only the force will take prompt action against criminals, but will also help the administration in controlling traffic problems. Soon after the deployment, the personnel of the Dolphin Force has started patrolling in the area. The CM said that a comprehensive plan to be set up and executed in order to ensure smooth flow of traffic in Murree. It will not only facilitate tourists but also address miseries of citizens, he added. He said that the shortage of parking area is a chronic issue of Murree and directed further to devise a permanent solution for it as he will not tolerate any complaint by tourists in this regard. Read more: ‘B

KARACHI: Light drizzle in parts of Karachi on early Monday morning turned weather pleasant, reported ARY News. Drizzling was reported in several parts of the city, Saddar, North Karachi, New Karachi, Malir, Korangi, including Shahrah-e-Faisal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and other parts of the city. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, there are chances of drizzle with overcast skies during the day. The routine sea-breeze (southwestern winds) have returned to the port city providing some relief to the citizens suffering from a spell of hot and humid weather. Rain with gusty winds is expected at isolated places in Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Sahiwal division and other parts of Punjab. Seasonal low lies over north Balochistan and a westerly wave is present over upper parts of the country. Recently it was drizzled in several parts of the city, including Shahrah-e-Faisal, Baloch Colony and Karsaz. During last 24 hours, Malakand, Peshawar, Rawalpindi,

Karachi: The government and private schools in Sindh reopened after summer vacations, ARY News reported on Monday. The new educational session would also begin in all private and government institutions from today. Due to climate change, the summer vacations in Sindh were given in the month of May and June. Earlier, Secretary School Education Department of Sindh had clarified that the government has not made any extension in summer vacations. It is pertinent to mention here that it emerged earlier on  April 24  that the schedule for summer vacations was revised for educational institutes of Sindh. Read more: SHC bars private schools from charging July’s fees In the latest statement, the secretary of school education had said that all government and private educational institutions will be reopened from July 1(today) as there is no extension made in summer vacations by the provincial government. The secretary had advised parents to send their children to schools in accordance w

GUJRAT: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has killed three terrorists in an encounter in Gujrat, while three others managed to flee away, ARY News reported on Monday. According to the CTD spokesperson, the CTD personnel foiled a terror bid in Gujrat by meeting an encounter with the terrorists and killing three of them on the spot, while their three accomplices fled away from the scene. The terrorists identified as Tayyab, Bilal, and Nadir, were trained from Afghanistan and were also named in the red book. Arms and ammunition along with maps were also confiscated from the killed terrorists, said the CTD. The killed terrorists were wanted to police in different cases including attacks on Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base in 2007, Sargodha Police Training School and Mianwali Police Chowki. Earlier on April 12, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in a  police encounter  had shot dead three suspects allegedly involved in kidnapping for ransom in Peshawar. Read more: CTD kills two sus

KABUL: Taliban fighters killed eight election commission employees on Saturday night inside a district center in Afghanistan’s southern province of Kandahar, officials said on Sunday. The employees of the Independent Election Commission were stationed at the government office in Maruf district to register voters when fighters of the hardline extremist group launched an attack. Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack. Fighting between the Taliban and Afghan forces has intensified even as leaders of the Taliban and U.S. officials hold peace talks in Qatar to end 18 years of war in Afghanistan. In the northern province of Takhar, over 600 villagers fled as Taliban fighters seized large areas of the province during heavy fighting in recent days, government officials said. TALKS CONTINUE The pace of talks between the United States and Taliban in Doha has sped up as Afghanistan heads for presidential elections on September 28. Qatar’s government, which is mediating the peac

LAHORE: Minister for Railways Shiekh Rasheed Ahmad said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate Sir Syed Express on July 3. Talking to journalists at Expo center in Lahore, Shiekh Rasheed said that the current government was taking all possible measures for development of Pakistan Railways (PR) to ensure provision of comfortable, modern, swift and safe means of transportation to the people. He said the Railways budget will be presented on Tuesday and added that efforts were underway to eliminate the deficit of PR within five years. Rasheed further maintained that encroachments on 36 kilo meters Karachi circular Railways had been removed. He said, “Former rulers did not spend a singer penny on development of railway track in Sindh, therefore maximum derailment and rail accidents take place there.” Read More: Govt taking steps to improve Pakistan Railways’ performance: Rasheed Earlier on April 6,Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had said that all possible measures wer

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Sunday announced that government has extended the deadline of Asset Declaration Scheme till July 3, ARY News reported. More to follow… The post Asset Declaration Scheme’s deadline extended till July 3: Hafeez Sheikh appeared first on ARYNEWS .

ISLAMABAD: The government has issued notification to raise the sales tax rate on the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), ARY News reported on Sunday. The CNG consumers would have to pay Rs69.57 per kilo tax on the CNG supply in region-I, while the region-II consumers would have to pay Rs74.04 per KG sales tax, according to the notification. The government has increased sales tax for Region-1 from existing Rs64.80 to Rs74.04 per kg, whereas for Region-2 from present Rs57.69 to Rs69.57 per kg. According to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the region-I comprises of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Gujjar Khan. Sindh, Pothohar region and other parts of Punjab are part of the region-II, the taxation authority said. The new rates of sales tax on CNG will come into effect from July 1st. All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) Chairman Ghayas Piracha, commenting over the hike in sales tax rate said that the CNG price will enhance upto 21-22 rupees per kilogram. Piracha

SYDNEY: Volcanic eruptions in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have forced 15,000 villagers in the country’s northeast to flee their homes, aid agencies said on Sunday. Mount Ulawun on PNG’s northeastern island of New Britain exploded suddenly on Wednesday, shooting an ash column 18 km (11.18 miles) into the air, while nearby Manam erupted on Friday, sending dangerous pyroclastic flows down its slopes. There were no reported casualties but the eruptions destroyed homes, plantations and wells, leaving villagers without food and water while ash columns disrupted domestic flights. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said as of Sunday, 3,775 people had fled the Manam eruption and 11,047 people from the Mount Ulawun eruption and taken shelter in refuge centres. Volcanic ash has blanketed the area with tiny glass-like particles that can permanently damage the lungs, leading to sickness or death. Leo Mapmani of the West New Britain Provincial Disaster C

KARACHI: Railway traffic remained disrupted on Sunday after a passenger train collided with a freight train near Hyderabad on June 20, ARY News reported. At least three people, a train driver and two assistant drivers, were killed and several others injured after a passenger train collided with a freight train near Hyderabad. According to Railway sources, the Karakoram Express will depart from Karachi’s Cantt Station for Lahore at 5:15 pm after a delay of 2 hours. Similarly, the Karachi Express will leave for Lahore from Karachi Cantt Station at 7:15 pm after a delay of three hours, said sources. Likewise, Pak-Business and Sukkur Express are also facing delays. Read More:  Hyderabad accident passenger train driver’s fault, says initial probe The initial investigation report of train accident suspected that it occurred because of negligence on the part of the driver and assistant driver of a passenger train that rammed into a coal-laden goods train near Hyderabad. The post Rail

LAHORE: Spokesman for the Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Gill on Sunday said that there were more than two groups in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) which shows the clear rift within the party, ARY News reported. “At least 15 PML-N lawmakers met Prime Minister Imran Khan in Banigala yesterday (Saturday) and expressed confidence in the leadership of PM Imran and Punjab Chief Minister, ” said Gill while talking to media. He said that PML-N was going through the tussle of leadership between Hamza Shehbaz and Maryam Nawaz. Read More:  Forward bloc emerges in PML-N as disgruntled lawmakers meet PM Imran “PML-N workers and lawmakers are not happy over the attitude of Shahbaz Sharif,” he claimed, adding that PML-N’s only focus is to loot the country. He said that after a long time Punjab province has elected a CM who gives respect to members. Earlier, a report published by ARY News revealed that a group of disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers from Punjab A

LONDON: Two people were stabbed to death in separate incidents in London on Saturday, including a woman who was about eight months pregnant, police said. Police were called to an address in south London at 3:30 a.m., where they found a wounded 26-year-old pregnant woman. Her baby was delivered, taken to hospital and was in a critical condition. Late on Saturday night, police were informed of an incident in the east of the British capital and found a man suffering from stab injuries. The man, believed to be in his late-20s, was pronounced dead at the scene. The incidents appeared to be unrelated. A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murder of the woman, while police were seeking more information about the second stabbing. Prime Minister Theresa May has been fighting accusations that a funding squeeze on police as well as cuts in social services have contributed to a soaring incidence of knife-crime. According to official statistics, there were 285 fatal stabbings in

KHANEWAL: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday turned down the opposition parties’ demand of mid-term elections as uncalled for, ARY News reported. Talking to media in Jahanian near Khanewal today, Qureshi said demand for mid-term elections by Pakistan Mulim League-Nawaz in current situation is unjustified. Qureshi said that general elections in the country held recently, hardly one year ago, so as there was no justification of demand for mid term polls. He also said that the government has proved its clear majority during the approval of federal budget in the National Assembly. Pakistan is facing external and internal challenges, he said, advising the opposition to extend cooperation to the government in this regard. Qureshi expressed hope that Pakistan will overcome all challenges under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Foreign Minister also said that dialogue process with Afghanistan progressing in right direction and we are waiting for a positi

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday said the meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers is just a beginning, reported ARY News. In his tweet, the federal minister said that the next group of members meeting the PM from PML-N will be from the National Assembly and Senate. “Decisions are made on local political facts and PML-N and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have lost their worth in masses, therefore, the politicians will also make their decisions accordingly,” he said. مسلم لیگ نون کے ایم پی اے گروپ کی وزیر اعظم سے ملاقات صرف ابتداء ہے اگلا گروپ ممبران قومی اور سینٹ کا ہو گا، مقامی سیاسی حقائق فیصلوں کی بنیاد ہوتے ہیں اور عوامی سطح پر نون اور پیپلز پارٹی کی کوئ حیثیت نہیں رہ گئ لہذاء ظاہر ہے لوگ اپنے فیصلے سیاسی حقائق پر کریں گے۔ — Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 30, 2019 Yesterday, the disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers from Punjab Assembly had met Prime Minister Imran Khan at Banigala.

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regularity Authority (OGRA) on Sunday notified hike in gas tariffs effective from July 1st (tomorrow), ARY News reported on Sunday. The consumers of 50 units have been exempted from the increase. The price for users consuming 100 units, has been increased from Rs127 million British thermal units (mmbtu) to Rs 300 per mmbtu. The user consuming 200 units, will be charged Rs 530 per mmbtu instead of existing Rs 264 per mmbtu. Moreover, the gas price for users consuming 300 units have been increased to Rs738 per mmbtu while on consuming 400 units, the consumers will have to pay a revised amount of Rs1107 per mmbtu instead of current Rs780 per mmbtu. The price for users consuming over 400 units, has been maintained at existing 1460 per million British thermal unit (mmbtu). Price of feed gas for factories has been increased by 61 per cent, the OGRA notification said. The notification also announced hike in sales tax rate on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Th

ISLAMABAD: For the first time in country’s history Prime Minister Imran Khan has established the National Youth Council, ARY News reported on Sunday. As per details, Prime Minister Imran Khan will be Patron-In-Chief of the council, while Special Assistant on  Youth Affairs Usman Dar would be its chairman. Influential persons in the fields of sports, education, religion, economy, arts and culture and Pakistan army have also been added in it. Major Tanvir Shafi, the veteran soldier who had fought in the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, is amongst the prominent members of the council. Cricketers Hassan Ali, Sana Mir, Artists Hamza Ali Abbasi and Mahira Khan, K-2 climber Samina Beg and differently-abled Muneeba Mazari have been added in the council to play their active role. Shazia Batool, an artist hailing from Balochistan, national footballer Karishma Ali and first she-male news anchor Marvia Malik have also been selected for membership of the youth council. Besides, all provincial ministers

LONDON: Britain’s biggest automaker Jaguar Land Rover is expected to announce plans next week to build electric cars at its central English Castle Bromwich factory, the Sunday Times reported. An all-electric version of its XJ luxury saloon will be the first of three new vehicles to be made from a common skeleton followed by a sport utility vehicle, the newspaper said. The company could not immediately be reached for comment late on Saturday. The move would be a rare bright spot for the British automotive sector which has been hit by job cuts, plant closure announcements and falling sales in recent months linked to tumbling demand for diesel vehicles and Brexit uncertainty. With a mandate that zero-emission vehicles make up 15 percent of automakers’ California sales by 2025, the state is driving carmakers to roll out carbon-free vehicles in an environment of uncertain future demand. At the same time, cheap gasoline is propelling a shift among U.S. consumers toward larger vehicles,

ISLAMABAD: An Adjudicating Authority will start functioning from July 1, 2019 (tomorrow), to implement Benami Act, 2017, ARY News reported on Sunday. It is to mention here that the Assets Declaration Scheme launched by the government will expire on June 30 (today). Jameel Ahmed, a retired Pakistan Administrative Service officer, has been notified as the Chairman of the adjudicating authority. Muhammad Tanveer Akhtar and Khaqan Murtaza have been notified as two other members of the authority. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has set up administrative structure to implement Benami Act, 2017 and the adjudicating authority has been constituted to take action against Benami holders of bank accounts or properties with effect from July 1, 2019 (tomorrow). Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi has said that the taxation authority has initiated its work to implement the Benami law. The government has notified the names of officers for the Benami Zones established under the relevant law. In the pre

BEIJING: As many as half of China’s breeding pigs have either died from African swine fever or been slaughtered because of the spreading disease, twice as many as officially acknowledged, according to the estimates of four people who supply large farms. While other estimates are more conservative, the plunge in the number of sows is poised to leave a large hole in the supply of the country’s favorite meat, pushing up food prices and devastating livelihoods in a rural economy that includes 40 million pig farmers. “Something like 50% of sows are dead,” said Edgar Wayne Johnson, a veterinarian who has spent 14 years in China and founded Enable Agricultural Technology Consulting, a Beijing-based farm services firm with clients across the country. Three other executives at producers of vaccines, feed additives and genetics also estimate losses of 40% to 50%, based on falling sales for their companies’ products and direct knowledge of the extent of the deadly disease on farms across the

ISLAMABAD: Reacting on opposition parties’ demand for the mid-term elections in the country, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan has said it is strange that those supported completion of the full term during their own rule are now talking about mid-term elections. In a tweet, she said, “Opposition parties found it difficult to remain out of power even for ten months, but they would have remained without it for four more years.” اپنے دور میں میں آئینی مدت پوری کرنے کی حمایت کرنے والے آج کس منہ سے مڈ ٹرم انتخابات کی بات کر رہے ہیں؟یہ لوگ 10 ماہ اقتدار کے بغیر نہیں گزار سکتے؟اقتدار کے بغیر ایسے تڑپ رہے ہیں جیسے مچھلی پانی کے بغیر۔اب انہیں چار سال ایسے ہی تڑپنا ہوگا۔ — Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousPTI) June 30, 2019 On Saturday, Firdous Ashiq Awan had termed the passage of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) first federal budget in the National Assembly the opposition’s defeat. Read more: Firdous Ashiq Awan thanks allies for pas

KARACHI: The met office on Sunday forecast chances of drizzle in night and early morning in Karachi as weather will remain cloudy with occasional gusty winds, ARY News reported. Seasonal low lies over north Balochistan and a westerly wave is present over upper parts of the country. The rainfall in various parts of Punjab, including Faisalabad, Sargodha, Jhang, Noorpur Thal and Bhakkar, turned the weather pleasant. Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast dust-thunderstorm/rain with gusty winds at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faislabad, Lahore and Sahiwal divisions, Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. The weather has also turned pleasant with clouds hovering over the horizons of Karachi. Recently it was drizzled in several parts of the city, including Shahrah-e-Faisal, Baloch Colony and Karsaz. Mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country on Sunday and Monday, while very hot in plain areas of

SEOUL: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un both want to meet at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas later in the day, raising hopes for an encounter that could jump-start stalled nuclear talks. Trump arrived in Seoul late on Saturday for talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in after attending the Group of 20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, during which he made a surprise, spur-of-the-moment offer to meet Kim. If Trump and Kim meet, it would be for the third time in just over a year, and four months since their second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam broke down. “Well, we’ll see. He very much wants to,” Trump said when asked by a reporter whether Kim would meet him at the DMZ later on Sunday when Trump is scheduled to visit the heavily armed border. “They’re trying to work it out. We both want to do it,” he said after a meeting with South Korean business leaders including the heads of Samsung, Hyundai Motor, Lotte, SK and Poongsan

ISLAMABAD: The deadline for the government’s Asset Declaration Scheme will end today, ARY News reported on Sunday. It had been hinted earlier that the Prime Minister of Pakistan had been deliberating upon a possible extension in the scheme’s deadline but all rumors and speculations regarding a possible extension were put to bed by Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)  Shabbar Zaidi. Zaidi has urged the countrymen to benefit from the scheme, while the offices of Pakistan’s supreme tax collection body to remain open tonight till 11pm to facilitate the taxpayers in payment of duties and taxes and filing of the income tax return. Hamid Atiq Sarwar, the member of FBR, said so far 26,000 people have declared their assets in the scheme, while more than 36,000 cases are under process with the FBR. He expected that the number of people getting benefit from the assets declaration scheme to cross 80,000. Read more: Massive traffic crashes FBR portal of assets declaration The federal gov

LONDON: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton will undertake an official visit to Pakistan this autumn, announced the Kensington Palace. The trip, which is being carried out at the request of the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, will take place in the autumn. According to a tweet published by Kensington Palace, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake an official visit to Pakistan this autumn, at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake an official visit to Pakistan this autumn, at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Further details will be advised in due course. pic.twitter.com/z8M1hnpfWS — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) June 29, 2019 It will be the first official visit by a member of the British royal family to Pakistan since 2006 when Prince Charles and Camilla traveled to Pakistan. Previously, the Queen visited in 1961 and 1997, and Princess Dian

MUREE: Pakistan Army has rescued all the tourists, who were stuck in the air after a chair lift wire detached from the pulley due to typhoon in Muree, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.  A popular visiting spot in Muree, the elevated chairlifts met with a malfunction resulting in hundreds of getting stuck in the air precariously. The rescue operation to retrieve and rescue all chair lift riders was completed by the army contingent along with the civil administration, and all the tourists were safely evacuated. “Army engineers repaired the cable tower to rescue the tourists”, the army’s military wing said. The Patriata chair lifts in Muree are a main tourist attraction, It is the highest point in the area and the hills stand 7,500 feet above sea level. In 2017, at least 10 people were killed and two injured when a chairlift cable broke and it plunged into a ravine. The accident occurred some 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Islamabad in the Charra Pani vi

ABBOTTABAD: At least five were dead and three others sustained injuries when a jeep plunged into a gorge in Abbottabad, ARY News reported on Sunday. As per details, the ill-fated jeep carrying eight people was returning from a marriage function, where it met an accident. The bodies and the injured were moved to Garhi Habibullah Hospital, said the local police. The cause of death could not be ascertained. In a similar road crash on October 29, last year, as many as 17 people were killed as a passenger coach plunged into a ravine on Karakoram Highway. According to details, the coach was heading to Rawalpindi from Gilgit-Baltistan when it skidded off the road and fell into the ravine within the limits of Lotar Police Station. Read more:  17 killed as coach plunges into ravine on Karakoram Highway The District Police Officer (DPO) had confirmed 17 causalities in the accident and added that faced difficulties in rescue operation due to darkness and steep rocks. Police and rescue of

The US has deployed F-22 stealth fighters to Qatar for the first time, its military said Friday, adding to a buildup of US forces in the Gulf. The Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters have been deployed “to defend American forces and interests,” the US Air Forces Central Military Command said in a statement that did not specify how many of the hi-tech planes had been sent. A photo handout showed five of the jets flying above the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Iran and Washington have been locked in an escalating standoff since US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from a multi-party 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic republic. Tensions spiked last week when Iran shot down a US drone over sensitive Gulf waters. This week Trump announced new sanctions against Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Iran has threatened to abandon some of its commitments under the nuclear deal unless the remaining partner

ISLAMABAD: The portal designated for Assets Declaration Scheme 2019 on the website of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has crashed owing to the influx of people trying to access the site. As per details received by ARY News so far, the portal of FBR remained suspended despite continuous efforts of the technical teams. The FBR chairman has directed to fix the problem on an urgent basis as thousands of people are facing difficulty in filing their tax details.  It is pertinent to mention that June 30 is the deadline for assets declaration, nonetheless,  Prime Minister Imran Khan recently hinted to make another extension for the scheme. The Federal Board of Revenue has said they have no information yet regarding extension in the deadline. The scheme’s deadline can be extended by an ordinance, the country’s supreme tax collection body said. The federal government on June 1 introduced the Assets Declaration Scheme, with an aim to help people benefited from it by whitening their conceal

LAHORE: A Lahore court on Saturday acquitted a couple in a case pertaining to the 2014 murder of a lady doctor of Sheikh Zaid Hospital Lahore, ARY News reported. Additional Sessions Judge Rai Nawaz Marth announced the judgement which he had previously reserved after hearing arguments from the defence and prosecution sides. He exonerated the couple from murder charges by giving them the benefit of doubt. Suspects Dr Naeem and his wife Dr Amber Noureen from the same medical facility the deceased belonged to were booked in the case registered with the Muslim Town police station under section 302 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in 2014. The FIR was registered on a complaint of a brother of the deceased, Aslam. According to the prosecution, Dr Naeem and his wife were accused of administering a poisonous injection to Dr Shazia. However, the accused maintained before the court that Dr Shazia wanted to marry Dr Naeem who was already married at that time, after which she became dejecte

GILGIT: President Dr. Arif Alvi arrived in Gilgit on Saturday for a week-long official visit to Gilgit-Baltistan, Radio Pakistan reported.  After his arrival, Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon and Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman received President Arif Alvi at the Gilgit Airport. The president will attend the concluding ceremony of the three-day international conference on mountaineering, eco-tourism and hospitality in Hunza. President Alvi will also be the chief guest of the closing ceremony of Tour-de Khunjerab Cycle Race on Sunday (June 30). The post President arrives in Gilgit-Baltistan to attend eco-tourism conference appeared first on ARYNEWS .

OSAKA: Russia has agreed with Saudi Arabia to extend by six to nine months a deal with OPEC on reducing oil production, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. Putin, speaking after talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, told a news conference the deal would be extended in its current form and with the same volumes. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other producers, an alliance known as OPEC+, meet on July 1-2 to discuss the deal that involves curbing oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd). The pact expires after June 30. “We will support the extension, both Russia and Saudi Arabia. As far as the length of the extension is concerned, we have yet to decide whether it will be six or nine months. Maybe it will be nine months,” said Putin said, who met the crown prince on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Japan.. A nine-month extension would mean the deal runs out in March 2020. Kirill Dmitriev, the chief executive of Russian Direct Inve