Cash-strapped Pakistan is optimistic it can avoid a short-term default with all eyes on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive committee meeting, which is slated to take place tomorrow (Monday).
The government expects the Washington-based lender to resume the $6 billion rescue programme that has been halted for a month; nevertheless, a surge in the country’s assets may peter out amid rising political tensions.
When the board meets on Monday, according to Tellimer Limited and Natixis SA projections, Pakistan will be granted a loan, “paving the way for the release of $1.2 billion in immediate disbursements.”
Italy’s Belotti signs one-year deal with Roma as free agent
Andrea Belotti has signed for Roma on a one-year deal as a free agent, the Serie A club announced on Sunday.
In a statement Roma said that the Italy striker had signed an initial one-year contract that runs until 30 June 2023″.
“As part of the overall agreement there is also the option for an additional two-year extension, based on certain performance-related criteria,” Roma added.
Belotti had been without a club after ending a seven-year spell at Torino, where he scored 100 Serie A goals, at the end of last season.
He arrives after Ghanaian attacker Felix Afena-Gyan’s move to Cremonese and will back up Roma’s starting centre-forward Tammy Abraham.
The 28-year-old has 44 caps for his country, netting 12 times and featuring in the Azzurri’s Euro 2020 triumph last summer.
Alexis Sanchez scored his first goals in a Marseille shirt on Sunday, netting a brace in a 3-0 Mediterranean derby win for his new club away at Nice in Ligue 1.
The Chilean former Arsenal star scored both his goals in the first half on the Cote d’Azur, with on-loan Arsenal wing-back Nuno Tavares on target in between.
The win put Marseille provisionally on top of the early Ligue 1 table with 10 points from four games, ahead of Lens on goal difference.
However, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain are just a point behind and can reclaim top spot when they host Monaco later on Sunday.
Sanchez made his first start for Marseille last weekend after signing a one-year contract with the former Champions League winners following his departure from Inter Milan.
Against Nice he opened the scoring in the 10th minute, taking a touch in the penalty box and firing into the roof of the net past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Portuguese Under-21 international Tavares made it 2-0 in the 37th minute, his low strike from outside the area beating Schmeichel at the goalkeeper’s near post.
It was his third goal in four games since arriving on loan from the Gunners, for whom he made 28 appearances last season after signing from Benfica.
Sanchez then followed in to make it 3-0 before the interval after a Tavares shot had been parried.
The result leaves ambitious Nice still without a win in the league this season.
Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe failed to make an impact for Nice on his debut after also signing on loan from Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Montpellier recorded their biggest ever away win in France’s top flight as they hammered Brest 7-0 in Brittany.
Elye Wahi and Valere Germain both scored twice, while Pierre Lees-Melou was sent off for Brest, whose coach Michel Der Zakarian was formerly in charge of Montpellier.
Elsewhere Egypt striker Mostafa Mohamed and Nigeria’s Moses Simon were among the goals as French Cup holders Nantes came from behind to beat Toulouse 3-1.Alexis Sanchez
Nigeria’s Terem Moffi netted twice as Lorient beat 10-man Clermont 2-1, while 17-year-old Wilson Odobert was among the scorers as Troyes defeated Angers 3-1 to claim their first points.
Lens beat Rennes 2-1 on Saturday, while there were also wins for Auxerre and Lille.Alexis Sanchez
Dubai – India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field against Pakistan in a landmark 100th Twenty20 international for Virat Kohli on Sunday.
The high-octane clash of the Asia Cup tournament between the arch rivals has already attracted a huge crowd with almost equal fan presence at the Dubai International Stadium.
The focus remains on the 33-year-old Kohli, who will look to overcome his extended batting slump and become only the second player after New Zealand’s Ross Taylor to play a century of international matches in all three formats.
India have opted for Dinesh Karthik as wicketkeeper in place of Rishabh Pant, while Avesh Khan makes the XI as the third seamer.
“Honestly, I don’t think the toss is that important, we are just here to play good cricket,” Rohit said.
Washington – Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, made four birdies in six holes to seize a six-stroke lead after Sunday’s completion of the third round of the PGA’s Tour Championship.
Lightning halted play Saturday with 14 golfers still on the course at East Lake in Atlanta, adding to the last-day drama at the season-ending FedEx Cup playoff showdown.
Scheffler made brilliant approaches to set up his sizzling effort Sunday morning to complete a four-under par 66 and stand on 23-under par.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland made two closing birdies Sunday to shoot 63 and match Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele for second on 17-under.
McIlroy put himself in the final duo on Sunday at the Tour Championship for a record fourth time while Schauffele shot 70 to fall back.
“Shooting even par out here is never going to get it done,” Schauffele said. “I just need to put my head down.”
When play resumed, Scheffler led on 19-under par through 12 holes with playing partner and fellow American Schauffele on 18-under.
Scheffler dropped his approach at 13 five feet from the cup and made his birdie putt to boost his lead to two strokes and Schauffele followed with a bogey at 14 after finding the right rough.
At the par-3 15th, Scheffler landed his tee shot inside five feet and made the birdie putt, reaching 21-under to lead by four.
At 17, Scheffler dropped his approach just inside three feet and tapped in for birdie, lifting his lead to five.
Schauffele was in the left rough at the par-5 18th and struggled to make par while Scheffler pitched his third shot inches from the hole and tapped in for another birdie.
“He fights until the end. He doesn’t give up on any shot,” Schauffele said of Scheffler. “He’s the number one player in the world for good reason.”
McIlroy sank a 13-foot birdie putt at the 17th and a three-footer to birdie the par-5 18th to finish a 63, his best ever at East Lake.
“Coming out this morning, I ideally wanted to just finish 3-4 which is what I did,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy hopes to add to his Tour Championship titles from 2016 and 2019.
“Great way to finish the round,” he said. “Gets me a little closer. At least gives me a chance going into this afternoon so I’m excited for that.”
South Korean Im Sung-jae made four morning pars to share fourth on 16-under with defending champion Patrick Cantlay.Scheffler stretches
Scheffler began the tournament at 10-under with a two-stroke edge on the field under a staggered scoring system based on season point totals, but Schauffele had trimmed that edge to two strokes after 36 holes.Scheffler stretches
The format means whoever fires the week’s low 72-hole total will not necessarily win the $18 million top prize on offer.Scheffler stretches
Scheffler, who hadn’t taken a PGA title when the year began, won four in two months capped by his first major title at Augusta National in April.Scheffler stretches
French police to investigate Paul Pogba’s claims of extortion
French police have opened an investigation into World Cup winner Paul Pogba’s claims he is being threatened and targeted for extortion by gangsters, a source close to the case told AFP on Sunday.
Pogba’s allegations came after his brother Mathias published a bizarre video online — in four languages (French, Italian, English and Spanish) — promising “great revelations” about the Juventus star.
A statement signed by his lawyers, his mother Yeo Moriba and current agent Rafaela Pimenta said that the videos published on Saturday night “are unfortunately no surprise”. “They are in addition to threats and extortion attempts by an organised gang against Paul Pogba,” read the statement.
“The competent bodies in Italy and France were informed a month ago and there will be no further comments in relation to the ongoing investigation.” Mathias Pogba, 32, promised “great revelations about (his) brother Paul Pogba and his agent Rafaela Pimenta”, who took over as head of the company of former agent Mino Raiola who died in April.
He said the “whole world, as well as my brother’s fans, and even more so the French team and Juventus, my brother’s team-mates and his sponsors deserve to know certain things”. Also a professional footballer, Mathias Pogba said people needed to know what he knew in order to judge whether his brother “deserves his place in the French team and the honour of playing in the World Cup. If he deserves to be a starter at Juventus.”
“All this is likely to be explosive,” he concluded without adding any substance to his “revelations”. According to two sources close to the Pogba family contacted , large sums of money are being demanded from Paul Pogba if he wants to avoid the dissemination of the allegedly compromising videos.
According to a court filing, Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook has in principle agreed to settle a case filed in federal court in San Francisco seeking damages for allowing third companies, such as Cambridge Analytica, access to users’ private data.
The Friday brief that urged the judge to halt the class action for 60 days while the plaintiffs’ and attorneys worked out a written settlement omitted the specific financial details.
In a four-year-old complaint, it was claimed that had shared user personal information with organisations like the since-defunct British political consultancy Cambridge Analytica in violation of consumer privacy regulations.
According to, its privacy policies “do not support any legal claims” and are in line with its disclosures.
LAHORE: The Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2022 will receive all gate receipts from the first Twenty20 International against England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday.
The PCB has urged cricket supporters and fans to buy tickets in large quantities once they go on sale online the following week in order to show solidarity with all those affected by the disaster, aid in the rehabilitation of the population, and aid the state and local governments in their relief and rescue efforts.You should be aware that the game will take place on September 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Karachi’s National Stadium.
Ramiz Raja, the chairman of the PCB, gave a speech at the event and said: “We at the PCB express our grief and sorrow for all those affected by the extreme monsoon rainfall and floods, which have caused havoc and devastation beyond imagination, killing over 1,000 people and displacing close to a million people.
TORONTO: The Khalistan Referendum, a community-sponsored referendum of an international advocacy group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), made significant waves in the United Kingdom in November 2021. It is currently shaking Canadian politics, where voting will begin on September 18
Khalistan
New Delhi and pro-India factions of Non-Resident Indians have voiced vehement opposition to the Referendum movement, which asks Sikhs to vote on whether or not Punjab is controlled by India.
The unofficial referendum has drawn condemnation from NRIs, and the Indian government has proactively referred to it as “terrorism” and designated SFJ, the referendum’s proponent, as an unlawful organisation under the contentious Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) of India.
The tallest buildings ever torn down in the nation were destroyed by Indian authorities on Sunday in a vast plume of dust and debris in the capital New Delhi. The demolition took less than 10 seconds.
The 103-meter (338-foot) tall skyscrapers crumbled after a controlled demolition, and those watching from rooftops of surrounding high-rise buildings applauded and clapped as the dust engulfed the residential area.
After a protracted legal struggle, the Supreme Court last year ruled that the towers in the Noida area had broken numerous construction codes and fire safety standards and ordered their removal.Around 2:30 pm, more than 3,700 kg (8,100 pounds) of explosives were deployed.
ABU DHABI: Oscar works out at a gym, using the treadmill twice or three times per week, to combat the summer heat in the United Arab Emirates. The only thing out of the ordinary about that is that Oscar is a dog.
Those who can afford it choose not to work outside in the sweltering sun and instead stay inside in air conditioning as the Gulf’s temperatures rise to dangerously high levels that are hazardous to their health amid concerns over the pace of climate change.
An air-conditioned gym for dogs has also emerged as a desirable option for pet owners with the money to spend.Owner and Pakistani expat Mozalfa Khan said, “In the winter I used to take him outside, but (in) the summer he used to stay secluded.
SUKKUR: As the death toll from this year’s monsoon passed 1,000, Pakistan’s flood-prone Sindh province in the south braced itself on Sunday for further downpour from swelling rivers in the north.
Numerous mountain tributaries to the north feed the huge Indus River, which flows through Pakistan’s second-most populous province. However, many of these rivers have broken their banks as a result of record rains and glacier melt.
Authorities have issued warnings that torrents of water are anticipated to reach Sindh in the coming days, adding to the suffering of millions already impacted by the floods.
Aziz Soomro, the manager of a barrage that controls the river’s flow close to Sukkur, declared that the Indus was presently in a state of high flood.
Over 1,000 people were killed and widespread destruction was wrought in Pakistan as a result of “above normal” monsoon rains, and the international community expressed its solidarity with Islamabad and pledged unwavering support for relief efforts to lessen the suffering of the more than 5.7 million people who were affected.
Hissein Brahim Taha, the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), expressed his sincere sadness over the fatalities, extensive property damage, and loss of life brought on by the floods in Pakistan.
According to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his nation is supporting Pakistan through the Red Cross of Canada and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund to provide food, clean water, and other necessary services as soon as possible.
Flash floods in Balochistan may have caused the deaths of four more individuals, bringing the total number of fatalities in the province to 247.The National Highway, the Bibi Nani, and the Pinjra bridges have all been destroyed by water in the Bolan River. On the Ziarat-Quetta route, four bridges and seven connection roads were also destroyed by flooding.
Numerous areas in Ziarat, Pishin, and Mastung experienced flooding. Manjhoo Shori, which produces the majority of Balochistan’s wheat, was also inundated. Due to their constant contact with water, the flood victims are developing skin conditions.Due to a very high flood, a significant piece of the Matta Bypass Road in Nowshera was washed away by the river.
In 13 districts of the province, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration declared an emergency and moved at least 180,000 people to safer locations.High floodwaters are also rushing in the Gilgit River. In Ghizer, landslides resulted in the destruction of over 45 homes and the deaths of seven persons.
Sadly, a party is playing politics with the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while the lender’s board meeting is just around the corner, according to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who did not specifically name the PTI. Self-centered politics can harm Pakistan irreparably.
On his visit to the flood victims in Sujawl, Sindh, the premier spoke to PTI and said, “I have never seen such self-centered politics; it will be a major injustice with Pakistan and a big conspiracy against the country.”According to PM Shehbaz, the federal government has set aside Rs38 billion in grants for the flood-affected families, with a payment of Rs25,000 going to each one.Speaking to flood victims.
The prime minister stated that he had already announced a grant of Rs. 15 billion for Sindh and that distribution of flood relief funds to afflicted households under the Benazir Income Support Program had started in the province after Balochistan. He continued, “The BISP has full data, assuring timely and equitable distribution among the qualified families.
President Dr. Arif Alvi authorised Jameel Ahmad’s appointment as governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for the subsequent five years.Ahmad has previously held the positions of executive director and deputy governor for the bank.
After former SBP governor Reza Baqir’s term ended in May and the coalition government opted not to extend it, the position became vacant.Being the senior-most deputy governor after Baqir’s departure, Murtaza Syed took over as acting governor.
Ahmad’s career as a central banker has spanned over 31 years in a variety of senior roles at the SBP and the Saudi Central Bank, according to his SBP profile (SAMA).His involvement with the SBP stretches back to 1991, and he worked there in a number of positions, including executive director and deputy governor from April 2017 to October 2021.
He worked at SAMA from July 2009 to April 2015 as an adviser and from December 2021 to August 2022 as a senior adviser. He oversaw significant transformation programmes for the bank and provided advice to SAMA management on a broad variety of policy issues in several central banking areas
According to a study, American urban evacuation planners did not fully draw the necessary conclusions from the destruction that Hurricane Katrina wreaked on the nation.
Despite Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of New Orleans in 2005, planners have made very minor adjustments to their emergency preparations.
Before the hurricane, planning for evacuation did not take into account the requirements of many various groups of people, including tourists, persons with special needs, those without cars, and low-income locals.
Professionals like transportation planners vowed to better focus on these issues after the natural disaster was over. However, the study results from Florida Atlantic University researchers.
According to a recent study that WhatsApp could be helping couples in the Gen X generation (those born between 1965 and 1980) by providing them with an alternative to in-person arguments.
Gen X was not raised with technology like millennials and Gen Z, which is why they have issues using technology and the internet.
The behavior of Gen X couples who have acclimated to App for their interpersonal communication and the advantages it has brought them was examined by researchers from Reichman University in Israel.
Additionally, the team discovered that conflict management tendencies in App discussions matched those in genuine in-person contact as noted by clinical psychologist and mathematician John Gottman.
In the opening game of the Asia Cup Twenty20 event on Saturday, Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi chose to bat first after winning the toss.
Sri Lanka
Due to political upheaval on the island, the six-nation competition was transferred from Sri Lanka to the United Arab Emirates. It acts as a warm-up for the T20 World Cup in Australia in October and November.
Afghanistan just lost a tight T20 series in Ireland but earlier swept Zimbabwe 6-0 in ODI and T20s, and Nabi is still optimistic his squad will perform. Afghanistan were drawn in Group B with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.”We want to start out by bowling. After a lengthy absence, cricket is back in Dubai on a brand-new field. We have many versatile individuals “At the coin toss, Nabi stated.
Dilshan Madushanka, a left-arm fast bowler, and Matheesha Pathirana, a medium-pace bowler, have both made their international debuts for Sri Lanka, led by Dasun Shanaka.”We also would have started bowling first. Two all-arounders, three true bowlers, and six batters “Shanaka stated.Group A includes Hong Kong, Pakistan, and India.
On Friday, Turkey’s Finance Minister dismissed as “meaningless” Turkish companies’ worries over a US Treasury warning that they risked being punished if they continued doing business with Russians despite the sanctions.
By condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and supplying it with weapons, NATO members have attempted to create a balance between Moscow and Kiev. At the same time,it opposes Western sanctions and maintains its commercial, tourism, and business ties with Russia.
According to Minister Nureddin Nebati, it resolved to strengthen its economic and trade ties with its neighbors “within a framework that is not subject to sanctions.”
The greatest ever seizure of crystal meth in Australia, according to police, was made on Friday. The substance, often known as “ice,” was found hidden between marble stones in many sea freight containers and was valued at over A$1.6 billion ($1.1 billion).
$1.1 billion
According to a statement from the New South Wales (NSW) state police, more than 1,800 kg of methylamphetamine were discovered concealed in marble stone slabs in recent containers that arrived in Sydney port.Following last week’s arrest of roughly 750 kg of ice, police reported on Friday that little over 1,000 kg of methylamphetamine had been discovered in the most recent discovery.
“This syndicate has shown us incredible capacity in terms of both volume and size. These numbers are astounding “During a press conference, NSW Detective Chief Superintendent John Watson said.According to Watson, the consignment information of the two drug seizures were identical, and all shipments originated in the Middle East.
Police detained three males in connection with the drugs discovered last week, but no charges have been brought in relation to the most recent seizure.
Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI, stated on Saturday that he will continue to fight the “thieves” in any weather conditions.
Imran Khan
The former prime minister claimed that he is fighting for the rule of law to be supreme in Pakistan while speaking in front of the general audience in Jhelum.
He declared, “I have fought for 26 years within the bounds of the law and the Constitution.” Khan asserted that Pakistan was at the top before the Sharif and Zardari families took control.
.He said, “Nawaz Sharif robbed the nation and now he’s telling us what to do.“
In Pakistan’s flood-affected regions, relief camps are housing around 498,833 flood victims.
Out of 166 districts, about 66 have been labeled as “calamity hit.”
The need for critical items also keeps expanding as more people are affected by the flood.
The victims are still receiving aid from the Pakistan Army, national organizations, government organizations, and NGOs.
Perishable food and other low-priority donations, on the other hand, may not make it to their destination and remain useless.
Over Rs. 9 billion should be set aside for the purchase of equipment to expedite the relief effort, while Rs. 5 billion should be available to save livestock.
Approximately 82,000 dwellings and the total infrastructure need to be rebuilt, according to Independent Urdu.
As the death toll from the terrible monsoon rains approached 1,000 with no end in sight, thousands of people in Pak north who live near flood-swollen rivers were asked to leave.
Pakistan asks people
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a beautiful area with rocky mountains and valleys, numerous rivers have burst their banks, destroying dozens of structures, including a 150-room hotel that collapsed into a roaring stream.
fish farms in Chrasadda
According to Junaid Khan, 23, who runs two fish farms in Chrasadda, “the house that we created with years of hard labour started sinking in front of our eyes.”
Shahbaz Gill, the leader of the PTI, is accused of sedition, and on Saturday, an Islamabad court gave the city’s police one final chance to deliver data related to the investigation.
His attorneys called the delay “unfortunate.”
The police were given till today to deliver the records as requested by the court during the last hearing on Friday, but they were unable to do so.
In today’s hearing, the police informed the judge that they were unable to contact the investigation officer, who is in Karachi and is in possession of the records, and that his phone had also been turned off.
Rizwan Abbas, the special prosecutor, told the court that before he could present his case, he needed to view the documents. When the police delayed the case, Gill’s attorneys stated it was “very regrettable.”
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Friday said the abnormal monsoon torrential rains caused the heaviest floods in the country’s history that submerged many parts of the southern region.
She was speaking during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change, which was presided over by MNA Nuzhat Pathan. Sherry stated that the situation was dire since rains had not stopped, with up to 1,100 millimetres falling in numerous flood-affected areas, and that “30 districts of Sindh have been drowned, and this committee should take notice of that.”
The minister emphasised that it was a natural calamity, but that it was brought about by unchecked manmade activities. She also stated that communication with Balochistan had been severed, adding, “Our helicopters are reaching the afflicted areas, but they are returning due to inclement weather.” Many people were stuck in the devastated areas, and the authorities had no idea where to draw the collected water, according to Sherry Rehman.
Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Asif Haider Shah also briefed the committee on the mandate of the ministry in the prevailing scenario and presented his suggestions to the forum. MNA Murtaza Javed Abbasi raised the issue of crushing plants installed at the Margalla Hills National Park and Khanpur Dam areas.
Inspector General of Forest, Ministry of Climate Change Ghulam Qadir Shah told the committee that there were 31 crush plants functional as of now in the region and 11 of them were registered and the rest were illegal. “We have closed down several crush plants and cases of five crushing plants are also under trial in the Supreme Court.”
He emphasised that the Afghan mafia was behind the experience. “We raised our voices during the assembly because small children are losing 30% of their hearing and people have been protesting the plants for the past two years.” The crushing waste is flowing into Khanpur Dam as a result of the rains,” he added. The Afghans were permitted by the provincial administration and were members of a powerful mafia, while the crushing factories were shut down for 30 days at the request of the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairperson Committee said the people were getting sick from these crushing plants and many diseases, including eye cancer were occurring among the masses of the locality. The chairperson summoned the KP Chief Secretary and directed that the next meeting would be held in the same area and also called the Ministry of Water Resources to participate in the meeting. Rains
0.1 million flood-affected families received Rs 25,000 each: Shazia
KARACHI: Over 0.01 million rain-flood-hit families across the country had been given Rs. 25,000 each following the announcement of a relief package by the federal government.
On the orders of the Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Shazia Atta Marri, the process of disbursing financial assistance of Rs 25000 among rain-affected families had begun in the district Sanghar, according to a communiqué issued here on Friday.
Ten relief camps had been created in various towns and places in the Sanghar district.
Two relief camps were established in Sanghar and two in Khipro, with one each in Sinjhoro, Tando Adam, Kandiari, Jam Nawaz Ali, Berani, and Shahdadpur.
Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail Friday said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would release the tranche (worth US$1.17 bn) to Pakistan after its board meeting on Monday. In a press conference here, the minister stated that Pakistan has already met all of the IMF’s standards and that the board will most likely approve the release of the tranche on Monday (August 29). He stated that the $4 billion gap has now been bridged because Qatar and Saudi Arabia have also pledged fresh investments and the ability for Pakistan to obtain oil on deferred payment.
The minister said the visit of PM to Qatar remained successful as Qatar had agreed to make $3 billion investment in Pakistan’s various sectors. Further he also made it clear that there was not discussion or agreement of selling Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) or Roosevelt Hotel to Qatar saying that Qatar was interested in getting only the management control of Pakistan’s big airports.
Qatar is also interested in investing in Pakistan’s seaports and LNG facilities, for which the Prime Minister has advised hiring an international advisor to get an accurate price estimate, he said, adding that Qatar is also interested in investing in large-scale solar enterprises.
“The government intends to build solar power plants with an installed capacity of 8000 MW, as solar energy would aid in the generation of cheaper electricity for consumers,” he added. “They (Qatar) have also expressed an interest in investing in Pakistan’s capital market.”
The minister was informed that Saudi Arabia had announced a $1 billion investment in Pakistan along with providing oil on deferred payment. Similarly, he said UAE had also announced to invest primarily in government shares worth $1 billion. With respect to the public concerns over extra electricity bills this month, the finance minister said the Prime Minister was very much worried over hike in the electricity bills.
IMF
We had to raise electricity prices for all types of consumers due to IMF pressure, he said, adding that in May, electricity demand was at an all-time high due to unprecedented hot weather conditions, and as a result, the government had to run even the most expensive power plants run by furnace oil, which costs around Rs 59 per unit.
He stated that the impact of the previous month’s gasoline price adjustment (FCA) was visible in the current month. On the instruction of the Prime Minister, he told the IMF that the Pakistan government would protect those who use up to 200 units of power every month. He stated that the IMF had granted Pakistan’s request in this regard.
Miftah Ismail added that 56% or 17.1 million out of around 30 million electricity consumers would be exempted from the fuel adjustment.
He said the government would have to bear Rs 20 billion cost in this regard. He asked the consumers not to pay the current bills as a new bill would be issued soon in which there would be no FCA. He informed that the PM had formed another committee which would deliberate upon giving FCA exemption to those consuming 200 to 300 units of electricity.
Regarding the recent flood in Pakistan, the minister also praised the World Bank for providing $370 million in financial aid to Pakistan, which would be received in a few days.
Similarly, he stated that the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Union (EU), the United States (US), China, and other development partners had pledged financial assistance to flood victims.
He also invited the general public to contribute to the PM’s special flood relief fund. Ismail stated that the finance division had already allocated Rs 28 billion to the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) for the payment of Rs 25000 to each flood-affected recipient. Similarly, Rs 5 billion has been allocated to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which will pay flood victims. IMF
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Friday that the prime minister has set up a high-level committee to redress the grievances of electricity consumers.
Marriyum Aurangzeb
She stated in a tweet that instructions have been provided to incorporate the announced alleviation in the bills of up to 200 units of power consumers within 24 hours.
The Prime Minister had directed that the bills of consumers receiving relief be cut within 24 hours.
The minister stated that the DISCOs’ personnel would labor 24 hours a day to rectify the electricity bills, and that all staff leaves would be canceled to do so.
Banks would be open on weekends to accept customer invoices, she said.
The Pakistan Air Force is working tirelessly to ensure the safety and rehabilitation of flood victims.
Pakistan Air Force
The PAF is empowering state institutions by aggressively carrying out relief operations and aiding civil administration in rescue and relief efforts in areas of Balochistan, Sindh, and South Punjab impacted by recent rains and flash floods.
The PAF has also established various field medical camps to provide free medical facilities to the flood affected people.
According to a press release released on Friday, PAF emergency response personnel provided prepared food, rations, and other critical goods during the relief operation.
PAF C-130 planes carrying relief supplies from Nur Khan Airbase landed in Sukkur. The plane was carrying 14000 pounds of relief supplies for flood victims, including food, tents, and medicines.
