The security forces killed a high-profile terrorist during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday.
The forces conducted the IBO on the reported presence of local commander Irfan Ullah Adnan, who was killed during an intense exchange of fire, the military’s media wing added.
The slain terrorist was actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as extortion and target killings of innocent civilians, according to the ISPR. He was a most-wanted terrorist by the law-enforcement agencies.
Locals of the area appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to the security forces in eliminating the menace of terrorism in the country.
Earlier this week, nine terrorists were killed by security forces in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Security forces killed seven terrorists including HVT, terrorist commander Najeeb Abdul Ur Rehman and terrorist commander Ishfaq Muavia in an intelligence-based operation in the Tira area of Khyber district a day earlier, according to an ISPR statement.
“The killed terrorists were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area and were wanted by law enforcement agencies. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists,” the ISPR said.
“In another operation, conducted in Lakki Marwat District, own troops effectively engaged terrorists’ location in which two more terrorists were killed. The security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.”
Jennifer Lopez added fuel to the ongoing divorce rumours with Ben Affleck.
In a recent video shared on Instagram, Lopez chose to ditch her wedding ring.
The promotional video for her beauty line showcased the Atlas actress encouraging fans to “show off more of that skin” and feel “confident” this summer.
The caption stated, “Holiday weekend incoming Recreate @jlo signature sizzle with the Ultimate Body Kit + Complexion Booster for a glow from head to toe.”
However, fans were quick to notice the absence of her diamond wedding ring.
Some also noted her apparent weight loss, expressing their concern in the comments section.
“What happened to her jlo assets? I mean she looks stunning but less jlo assets,” one commented.
Another added, “she looks so thin.”
The divorce rumors have intensified as Lopez and Affleck have rarely been seen together in recent months.
Lopez’s solo trip to Italy further fueled speculation, with an insider telling Fox News Digital that the marriage is “completely over” and that Lopez is heartbroken.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday proposed to establish tripartite institutional mechanisms particularly in economic and investment areas to further strengthen Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan trilateral economic and commercial cooperation.
Sharing his views during an inaugural session of Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan Trilateral Summit held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, the prime minister underscored that Pakistan deeply valued its fraternal ties with Azerbaijan and Turkiye which were grounded in deep-rooted cultural, historic and religious bonds as well as mutual respect and support towards each other on core issues.
The summit was attended by Premier Shehbaz, President of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Heydar Aliyev.
PM Shehbaz welcomed the convening of inaugural session of Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan Trilateral Meeting at the summit level, the PM Office said in a statement.
He termed it as a natural progression of trilateral engagements amongst the three brotherly Muslim countries which shared a similar outlook on a host of issues of mutual interest and common concern.
The PM noted excellent trilateral cooperation in political, parliamentary and defence domains since the First Trilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the three countries held in Baku in 2017.
He also affirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working together with Turkiye and Azerbaijan to elevate the tripartite cooperation into a strong multifaceted partnership across all areas of mutual interest including economic, energy, tourism, cultural, educational, technology and innovation, healthcare and environmental cooperation.
Emphasising strong bonds of friendship and robust people-to-people contacts amongst the three countries, the prime minister also outlined significant potential for collaboration in the areas of culture, tourism, academia as well as science and technology.
Pakistan, Turkiye and Pakistan have previously held trilateral consultations at the level of foreign ministers, speakers of parliaments and defence personnel.
PM Shehbaz arrived in Kazakhstan’s capital on Wednesday to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) and SCO Plus summits.
On his arrival at Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport, the prime minister was warmly received by Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, Deputy Prime Minister Alibek Bekayev, Ambassador of Pakistan to Kazakhstan Nauman Bashir, and other diplomatic personnel.
Victoria Beckham led close pal Tom Cruise’s birthday wishes as he turns 62.
Cruise’s birthday comes after he joined the fashion designer for her birthday win April. Victoria’s star-studded party saw the Mission Impossible actor showing his best dance moves, including splits and break dancing.
Wishing her longtime pal, Victoria took to Instagram stories and shared a photo of her and husband David Beckham with Cruise.
“Happy Birthday @tomcruise!! Kisses @davidbeckham xx,” she captioned the photo.
Cruise wore a suit similar to Posh Spice’s sons Brooklyn and Romeo.
The Top Gun star became good friends with David and Victoria after throwing them a party back when the footballer moved to Los Angeles.
The trio’s friendship however suffered rumors of strain which alleged that the Cruise pressed them about joining the Church of Scientology.
“Tom did everything for them when they first moved to L.A. He practically gave them the keys to the city,” a tipster told Radar Online.
They continued, “He threw them a party to meet everyone important, and the moment they were established they chucked him!”
“What was an issue was the pressure to join Scientology,” they revealed, adding, “[Tom] wouldn’t take no for an answer,” making the couple feel like “they had no choice but pull away.”
“It’s clear Tom was hurt by the rejection,” they added.
Zac Efron has just shed some light into the physical comedy skills of Joey King and even compared him to Friends star Matthew Perry.
The conversation arose during Efron’s interview with Entertainment Weekly and told them how he was impressed by Joey King’s physical comedy skills on the set of A Family Affair.
While discussing their new Netflix comedy movie, Zac revealed that Joey performed a bit of physical comedy that he found hilarious.
The actor was quoted telling the outlet, “Her stunt — when you walk in the room when Nicole [Kidman] and I are hooking u — it’s one of the funniest things ever. I think that was one of the most brilliant physical comedy bits I’ve seen in a long time. That was very funny. Matthew Perry-esque. It was genius.”
“Oh, that’s so nice of you,” Joey tells Zac about his praise. “Oh gosh.”
It is pertinent to mention that the scene that Zac is referring to is when Chris and Brooe first get together after getting a bit tipsy and not locking the bedroom door.
At that moment, in total shock, she chokes on a grape and then hits her head on the doorframe while trying to run out of the room, knocking herself out and falling to the ground.
Furthermore, Efron recently shared the behind-the-scenes clip of Joey performing that physical comedy on Instagram which let all of them cracking up and appreciating Joey’s talent before signing off.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were blindsided after they saw Prince William going wild at Taylor Swift’s Eras tour concert in London.
According to Closer Magazine, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex believe that it was a ‘calculated move’ on Prince of Wales’ part to ridicule them.
Speaking with the publication, the insider noted on much efforts Meghan put in inviting the Anti-Hero hitmaker to her podcast Archetypes back in 2022.
“It’s no secret Meghan went out of her way to try and build a relationship with Taylor and got nowhere, so it’s hard for her and Harry not to see this as being a calculated way for William and the royals to undermine them further, it’s certainly rubbing salt in the wound,” the insider noted.
The insider went on to add that the Sussexes believe William’s viral video dancing to Taylor’s tunes was ‘another attempt’ from him of showing them that they are ‘firmly outsiders when it comes to the Royal family.’
“In their view it’s patently obvious that the royals, and William in particular, love to go after anything they come close to having so this is just being taken as more proof of that and they’re finding it pretty hard to swallow,” they added.
“They already fear everyone is ganging up to have a go at them with William leading the charge, so this whole Taylor thing feels very personal, especially because of how big she is right now.”
Set to debut in Marvel via Deadpool and Wolverine, Emma Corrin said the studio flatly refused her to have a personal trainer.
During an interview with GQ, the actress believed her villainous Cassandra Nova character required bulking up; however, the studio, she says, had a different vision for her.
“This is funny because I did ask if I could have a personal trainer and they said no,” she added.
Noting, “They said I don’t have to undergo any physical training. I was so ready to undergo a huge transformation, but they were like, ‘That’s absolutely not required of you. Please stand down.’ I tried.”
In a separate interview, Emma, who will appear in the shoes of a character who is an evil twin sister of Charles Xavier in comics, said to Entertainment Weekly that she was not the first choice for the role. Instead, Ryan Reynolds and filmmaker Shawn Levy had Christoph Waltz in mind.
“He’s so disarmingly polite and nice and unaffected, and it’s really creepy,” she continued. “It’s all the more sinister because he doesn’t need to do anything.”
Emma noted, “Ryan and Shawn pitched this idea, which I was totally on board with: ‘We want this villain to not be a villain in the sense that you expect them to be. We want you to be so endeared by her, so charmed by her, and just when you think that maybe she’s totally seen into your soul and you are going to be best friends for life, you’re dead.'”
Deadpool and Wolverine are gearing up for a theatrical launch on July 26.
Kanye West is seemingly facing some serious money problems.
As per the latest documents obtained by In Touch Weekly, the controversial rapper has cut off contact from lawyer, Briam Burmfield, after failing to pay him.
Now, Brian is also stepping back from the position and has filed a motion to be relieved as a counsel for Kim Kardashian’s previous husband.
His motion reads as, “Defendant, Kanye West, terminated relationship on 6/21/2024. Defendant also will not speak to counsel and Defendant refuses to pay counsel as well.”
This report seemingly confirmed the outlet’s findings from earlier this week that Kanye West has come under financial strain.
The mole also squealed, “Kanye’s been burning through his savings at an alarming rate and it’s starting to have a very real impact on his bank balance.”
They continued that after years of free-spending “it’s now gotten to the point where he’s got no choice but to make some cutbacks, like flying coach instead of private jets.”
Spilling the beans on this matter, the insider continued, “So, it’s put him in the humiliating position of needing to actually ask Kim to give him a break and help him out,” after which they moved on to new topic.
Britain’s Conservative Party all-but conceded election defeat to Keir Starmer’s Labour on Wednesday, a day before polling stations even opened, and warned that the opposition party was on course for a record-breaking victory.
Opinion polls show the centre-left Labour Party is set for a big win in Thursday’s vote that would end 14 years of Conservative government and hand Starmer the keys to the prime minister’s Number 10 Downing Street office on Friday morning.
You Gov’s final seat projection published on Wednesday put Labour on track to win a majority of 212 seats, the largest of any party in modern history.
Both Starmer and Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak kicked off the last day of campaigning before polls open warning voters of dire economic consequences if the other man wins.
But, facing predictions of the worst result in the party’s history, the Conservatives turned their focus to damage limitation, saying they needed to hang on to enough seats to provide an effective opposition to a Labour government.
“I totally accept that where the polls are at the moment means that tomorrow is likely to see the largest Labour landslide majority, the largest majority that this country has ever seen,” Conservative minister Mel Stride told the BBC.
“What therefore matters now is what kind of opposition do we have, what kind of ability to scrutinise government is there within parliament.”
Asked about Stride’s comments, Sunak told ITV: “I’m fighting hard for every vote”.
Rupert Murdoch-owned British tabloid newspaper The Sun endorsed Labour and Starmer on Wednesday, saying in an editorial published online: “It’s time for a change.”
“The insurmountable problem faced by the (Conservatives) is that – over the course of 14 often chaotic years – they have become a divided rabble, more interested in fighting themselves than running the country,” the newspaper, which has backed the Conservatives at every election since 2010, said.
Get The Vote Out
Labour’s final campaign push focused on their fear that voters could see the result as a foregone conclusion and stay at home during polling on Thursday, or register protest votes with smaller parties.
Starmer said Stride’s comments were an attempt to lure wavering voters into not casting their ballots after polling opens at 0600 GMT.
“I say: if you want change, you have to vote for it. I want people to be part of a change. I know there are very close constituencies across the country,” he told the BBC.
“I don’t take anything for granted, I respect the voters, and I know that we have to earn every vote until 10 o’clock tomorrow night and we will do that.”
Starmer’s campaign has been built around a one-word promise of ‘change’, tapping into discontent at the state of Britain’s stretched public services and falling living standards – symptoms of a sluggish economy and political instability.
Sunak has sought to persuade voters that his 20 months in charge have set the economy on an upward path after the external shocks of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, and drawn a line under years of turmoil overseen by his Conservative predecessors.
He says Starmer will have to put up taxes to implement his agenda for change and the bigger Labour’s win, the more emboldened Starmer would be to raise taxes beyond those he has already outlined.
Having failed to close Labour’s roughly 20-point opinion poll lead, Sunak turned to former prime minister Boris Johnson – the man he helped turf out of office in 2022 – inviting him to speak at a late night Conservative Rally on Tuesday.
Johnson, one of British politics’ most recognisable figures and the man who delivered the party a landslide win in 2019, made his first big public appearance of the campaign with a speech which listed many of his own achievements and gave little personal endorsement to Sunak.
“None of us can sit back as a Labour government prepares to use a sledgehammer majority to destroy so much of what we have achieved,” he said.
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are celebrating their 3rd wedding anniversary on July 3.
Gwen took to Instagram to celebrate the special day, sharing a slew of photos from the duo’s wedding. The singer could be seen in her wedding dress with a large tulle skirt, kissing Blake in front of their multitiered wedding cake. “it has always been you,” she wrote in the caption.
One of the photos also featured Gwen’s three sons with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale – Kingston, 18, Zuma, 15, and Apollo, 10.
The Purple Irises singer met Blake 10 years ago when the duo were judges on The Voice. They tied the knot in 2021 after beginning to date following their respective divorces from Rossdale and Miranda Lambert.
In 2016, the Pour Me A Drink crooner reflected on their divorces and credited Gwen for saving his life, saying, “Gwen saved my life. Who else on earth could understand going through a high-profile divorce from another musician? You can’t even imagine the similarities in our divorces.”
Their anniversary comes after they faced divorce rumors earlier this year due to their time spent apart. Gwen addressed the rumors in April, telling Nylon magazine, Gwen said, “When you’re in love and have truly aligned values, nobody can get to us.”
“You can say whatever you want to say about our relationship — I mean, a week ago we were getting divorced again or something,” she added.
“It’s just lies. The truth is the truth, and we know what that is,” she concluded.
The ground-based air defence (GBAD) of Pakistan Navy demonstrated combat readiness via successful live weapon firing of FN-6 surface-to-air missiles (SAM) in Karachi, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Navy on Wednesday.
During the impressive firepower demonstration, the PN’s GBAD system fired SAMs and successfully engaged the intended airborne targets, the statement added.
Commander Coast Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz graced the occasion as chief guest.
Later, Nawaz addressed the troops and appreciated the conduct of successful missile firing. He expressed complete satisfaction with the operational preparedness of the navy’s GBAD system.
Pakistan Navy’s Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) troops demonstrate the surface-to-air missile (SAM) firing at airborne targets on July 3, 2024. — Facebook/DGPR- Navy
He emphasised that the Pakistan Navy is fully prepared and capable of generating optimum response against any misadventure by the enemy.
Besides safeguarding the country’s maritime borders, the Pakistan Navy is also playing its role for regional security as it deployed its warship PNS ASLAT in the Indian Ocean to ensure the safety of merchant ships in May.
Travis Kelce recently surprised fans with his onstage appearance at Taylor Swift Eras Tour in London.
On June 23, during Swift’s performance of I Can Do It With A Broken Heart, Kelce joined her onstage in a fun act.
During his New Heights podcast, the NFL star discussed the story behind his dance moves.
He revealed that his dance was inspired by Jim Carrey’s character in Dumb and Dumber.
Kelce said, “It’s such a fun, playful part of the show. It was the perfect time for me to go up there and just be a ham and have some fun,” adding, “I always wanted to pull out this move but I never knew when I should pull it out. And it was the Dumb and Dumber [move], with Jim Carrey, him like doing tap dances. That’s one of my favorite moves of all time.”
Additionally, Kelce explained that his idea to join Swift onstage initially started as a joke.
“I was like, ‘How funny would it be if I just rolled out on one of the bikes during the 1989 era?” he said, adding, “She started laughing and was like, ‘Would you seriously be up for doing something like that?’ And I was like, ‘What?! I would love to do that. I’ve seen the show enough, might as well put me to work here.”
Ed Sheeran recently advised against visiting his residential town, London, for rare reasons.
The Shape of You crooner recently had a candid chat with the US podcaster Theo Von.
During this chat, the musician was asked what place he thinks is the most dangerous in UK.
In response to this query, Ed Sheeran named London to be that place despite owning 22 properties in the same region.
“Here? I’d say every area of London. Literally, every area is sketchy,” he began.
He explained, “I think that you cannot be anywhere. It’s not like a segregated city.”
Ed Sheeran even claimed that every nook and corner of London should be avoided if one wanted to escape being robbed.
“No, I mean the nice areas are sketchy, the bad areas are sketchy, but you just have to not do stupid shit,” Ed continued.
Wrapping up the topic, he maintained, “If you wander around with, I dunno, like a Louis Vuitton duffel bag and a 200 grand watch, you are going to get robbed,” asserting, “But just don’t do that.”
Pakistani authorities began meeting those qualified to bid for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday, to address concerns including a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ban on the carrier, officials said.
The privatisation of the loss-making state-owned enterprise has long been on the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) list of recommendations for Pakistan, which is seeking to strike a deal with the fund for a longer-term bailout this month.
Islamabad allowed six companies and consortiums in June to take part in bidding for between 51%-100% of the national flag carrier as early as the end of next month.
The EU safety ban was one of the main concerns the bidders have raised, Privatisation Commission secretary Usman Bajwa told a media briefing along with Privatisation Minister Abdul Aleem Khan.
The minister wouldn’t disclose how much the government was expecting to raise but said the bidders were showing keen interest because the airline was profitable barring its legacy debt and liabilities.
“I’ve no clue what money it will get,” he said. “Anyone who puts in money … who buys PIA will be in profit from the very first day.”
EASA banned the airline from its most lucrative routes in Europe and Britain after a PIA plane crash in Karachi in 2020 killed nearly 100, followed by a scandal over pilot licences.
Separately, the PIA-owned Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan is being sold along with other government assets including House Building Finance Company and First Woman Bank, as part of the wider privatisation drive, Bajwa said.
He said real estate investment management services firm, JLL is advising on a potential sale, joint venture or lease of the property and the government is hoping to decide what route to take by August.
The senior journalists on Wednesday challenged controversial Punjab Defamation Act, 2024, in the Lahore High Court (LHC) after the provincial assembly passed the law amid strong protest from the opposition members and media fraternity in May this year.
The petitioners requested the court to declare the Act “void ab initio” and of no legal effect.
The Punjab Assembly, on May 20, passed the Punjab Defamation Bill, 2024 amid a strong and noisy protest by the opposition on the floor of the assembly. Meantime, the law received immense backlash from journalists and rights bodies including those based internationally.
The petition has been filed by two senior journalists through their lawyer Asad Jamal. The court of Justice Muhammad Amjad Rafiq will hear the petition tomorrow (July 4).
“The controversial Punjab Act is repugnant to the Defamation Ordinance 2002 which has been provided protection under Article 270AA under the 18th Amendment to the constitution,” read the petition.
“The Punjab province does not have the legislative competence to enact a law to regulate any aspect of broadcasting through various electronic and digital media including those based on technologies like telegraphs and telephones as well as wireless media and broadcasting and similar other modes of communication.”
The petitioners have challenged the Act mainly on the ground that the core subject matter of the Punjab Defamation Act 2024 is communication or speech by means of electronic and digital media is beyond the legislative competence of provinces because it falls foul of Article 70 of the Constitution read with item 7 of the Federal Legislative List.
The petitioners pleaded in their petition that the Act stood in violation of fundamental rights guaranteed in Articles 10A, 18, 19 & 19A, & 25 of the Constitution.
The petitioners also contended in the petition that the Defamation Act aims to stifle free speech and dissent as it has already had a chilling effect on the freedom of speech of journalists due to the punitive and harsh nature of the provisions of the law enacted in the name of preserving privacy and protecting members of society from the unjustified harm caused to the reputation of citizens.
Bot-like social media accounts have spread “disinformation and hate” in tens of thousands of posts viewed an estimated 150 million times during the UK general election campaign, a watchdog investigation revealed Tuesday.
Global Witness found 10 suspected bot profiles on X (formerly Twitter) have shared more than 60,000 messages containing conspiracy theories and violent hate speech, including Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia and transphobia, before Thursday´s vote.
The NGO assessed that the accounts, which also promoted praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin, may have had “an oversize influence” given their prolific output.
Bot profiles are run by computers but have been programmed to look like human-run accounts.
The findings follow warnings that the integrity of key elections around the world this year could be threatened by rapid advancements in cyber-tech, particularly AI, and increasing friction between major nations.
UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden warned on Sunday that hostile actors such as Russia were seeking to influence the country’s democratic process after reports emerged of Facebook pages spreading identical pro-Kremlin talking points.
Ava Lee, campaign leader at Global Witness, urged X and other social media companies to “clean up their platforms and put our democracies before profit”.
“Political discussion online is often toxic — we all know that. But when we go on social media, we believe we’re seeing what real people think,” she said.
“When that’s not true, when the conversation may have been influenced by someone who has paid for bots to spread division or to get a particular party into power, our democracy is in jeopardy.”
Overtly party political
Global Witness researchers identified the sample of suspected bot accounts by searching for posts and hashtags on climate change and migration — two hot button issues often subject to disinformation.
The team then identified and tracked at least 10 profiles pumping out scores or hundreds of posts daily on these issues in the weeks after the UK election date announcement on May 22.
Eight were overtly party political, clearly aligning themselves for or against a particular party by using its logos as their profile picture or regularly re-posting its content or hashtags, according to the NGO.
It did not find evidence that any UK party was paying for, using or promoting the bots as part of their campaigns.
The content shared by the suspect accounts was overwhelmingly extreme, Global Witness said.
“Some spread anti-Semitism and transphobia. Some state that climate change is a ‘hoax’, that vaccines have created a ‘genocide’,” it added.
One of the 10 profiles was recently deleted, but the other nine remained active as Global Witness released its findings.
It urged X, formerly known as Twitter, to investigate the accounts, which likely violate its own policies.
Global Witness also demanded X invest more in “protecting our democratic debate from manipulation”.
Opinion polls project Britain’s Labour Party is on course to return to government with a large majority in Thursday’s national election after 14 years in opposition.
Polls close at 10pm (2100GMT) and results are due to be announced in each of parliament’s 650 constituencies throughout the night.
Since the last UK general election was held in December 2019, new boundaries have been applied to the constituencies to reflect population changes, with some seats being abolished and replaced.
Below are ten seats to look out for which could provide clues as to how the rest of the night will unfold, in order of expected declaration time:
Basildon and Billericay, result expected 2315GMT
This seat, being contested by Conservative Party Chairman Richard Holden, has been comfortably won by the ruling Conservatives at every election since it was created in 2010.
Winning here would mean Labour overturning a majority of more than 20,000 votes and could be a sign of the size of the Labour landslide to come.
Broxbourne, result expected 2315GMT
This seat has been won by the Conservatives at every election since it was created in 1983. In 2019, they won it with a majority of just under 20,000 votes.
A Labour victory in Broxbourne would be a huge loss for the Conservatives and an early indication of the size of the possible national swing towards Labour leader Keir Starmer’s party.
Swindon South, result expected 2330GMT
Swindon South is a bellwether seat, having elected a representative from the party which goes on to form the government at every election since 1983.
Conservative former justice minister Robert Buckland has been the member of parliament since 2010 and is defending a majority of 6,625.
This is the kind of seat Labour would win comfortably if it is going to achieve the large majority opinion polls have predicted.
Cranlington and Killingworth, result expected 2345GMT
This newly formed constituency includes most of the former seat of Blyth Valley, which was the first seat in the previously Labour heartlands known as the “Red Wall” to be taken by the Conservatives in 2019.
The Conservatives overturned a 7,915 majority in the seat, which had been held by Labour since it was formed in 1950.
A win here for Labour could mark the beginning of the rebuilding of the wall.
Hamilton and Clyde Valley, result expected 0045GMT
This is a newly created seat in Scotland but its predecessor, Lanark and Hamilton East, had been held by the Scottish National Party (SNP) since it won it from Labour in 2015.
At the last election in 2019, Labour came third behind the Conservatives here.
If Labour take this seat it could indicate the party has achieved the kind of swing away from the SNP it needs to regain many of the Scottish seats it lost in 2015, when Labour was all but wiped out in its former stronghold.
Cannock Chase, result expected 0100GMT
Labour would have to achieve a huge swing to reclaim Cannock Chase, which it held from 1997-2010. The Conservatives won it with a majority of nearly 20,000 votes in 2019.
Modelling by opinion pollsters YouGov has projected a Labour win is likely here, an outcome which could signal the Conservatives are in for a very bad night.
This seat also voted 69% in favour of leaving the European Union at the 2016 referendum, so a win here could be a sign of a recovery in support for Labour in Brexit-backing areas.
Castle Point, result expected 0100GMT
The incumbent, Conservative candidate Rebecca Harris, has represented the seat since 2010 and had a majority of more than 26,600 votes at the last election.
The area voted overwhelmingly in favour of leaving the EU in 2016 and the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party (UKIP) topped 30% of the vote at the 2015 election.
If Reform UK, led by Brexit campaigner and former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, wins here it would be a strong indication of his party’s surge in support in leave supporting areas and bad news for Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives.
Godalming and Ash, result expected 0230GMT
This seat is being contested by finance minister Jeremy Hunt who has been the area’s Member of Parliament since 2005. Some polls have forecast he will lose it to the Liberal Democrats.
If Hunt is defeated, his fate will symbolise a collapse in Conservative support in the affluent “home counties” around London that had been solid for more than a century.
Hunt has never seen his share of the vote in his constituency dip below 50%, but YouGov has predicted it will fall to 29%, with the Liberal Democrats on 46%.
Watford, result expected 0300GMT
This is considered a bellwether seat, having elected a lawmaker from the winning party at every British general election since 1974.
At the last election in 2019, the Conservatives won it with a majority of just over 4,400 votes.
Clacton, result expected 0300GMT
Some polls have predicted Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, will take Clacton, his eighth attempt to win a seat in parliament.
The seat, which the Conservatives won in 2019 with a majority of more than 24,700, voted for Farage’s earlier party, pro-Brexit UKIP, in 2015.
Another celebrity is reportedly being investigated in Matthew Perry’s death case after Brooke Mueller.
Mueller was recently revealed as the female celebrity pal of the late Friends actor who is being questioned in his death investigation.
One insider said of Mueller and Perry’s friendship: “They met in rehab. They formed an unexpected friendship… Brooke had been in treatment with Matthew before, and they had a lot of ties in the acting community. It was an unexpected friendship, but they leaned on each other.”
However, In Touch now claims there’s another celebrity in the mix. This celebrity and Perry were “walking pharmacies who engaged in late-night chats about their addictions, sobriety battles and personal lives.”
It is said this celebrity and the Fools Rush In star could’ve “aided” each other in getting their hands on prescription drugs by referring each other to their respective doctors when their stocks finished.
“If the feds had either one of their phones — especially [the second celeb’s], because she doesn’t erase her text messages — they would probably find conversations about the drug and ‘How can I get extra?’ Like, ‘Oh, come see my doctor if you need more.’ It will not look good for the celebrity,” the mole told the publication.
This investigation comes after Perry’s death in October last year due to “acute effects of ketamine.” Medical examiners reached the conclusion that the actor got the ketamine from somewhere other than the therapy he was receiving as the drug metabolizes quickly and wouldn’t have been in his bloodstream when he was found unconscious.
Pakistan’s white-ball coach Gary Kirsten has submitted a “confidential” assessment report on the national side’s disastrous performance in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024 to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), sources told Geo News on Wednesday.
The report, the sources added, has been sent to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi who will review the document highlighting players’ fitness, discipline and game awareness among other things that led to the team’s early exit from the mega event.
The development comes as the Green Shirts failed to even make it to the Super Eight stage of the World Cup after suffering an upset loss against the minnows United States followed by a defeat against arch-rivals India.
The Babar Azam-led side only managed to win matches against Canada and Ireland which were insufficient to propel the team to the next stage of the tournament.
The below-par performance by the national side resulted in scathing criticism from fans and former cricketers alike prompting the PCB chief to announce a “major surgery” in the squad.
However, the board decided to wait for Kirsten and senior manager Wahab Riaz’s report to make any decision with regard to the team’s future.
After going through the report, the PCB chief will also consult other board officials and former cricketers before taking a decision on the way forward.
Earlier, Geo News while citing sources had reported that Kirsten had expressed concerns over the players’ fitness levels, stating they are not up to the mark.
In a discussion with the team after their elimination from the World Cup, the coach pointed out that the team’s skill level is significantly lagging compared to the rest of the world.
“Despite playing so much cricket, no one knows which shot to play and when,” he said, adding that only players who value unity, focus on fitness, and improve their skill set will be part of the team moving forward.
The team’s poor performance has also been acknowledged by wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan who, while talking to the media in Peshawar on Tuesday, said that the criticism faced by the Men in Green was justified.
“The criticism the team is facing is justified and we deserve this since we didn’t perform in accordance with expectations. Players who can’t face criticism won’t be able to succeed.
“We are disappointed with our performance in the T20 World Cup. There are multiple reasons behind our losses. When a team loses, one can’t say that bowling and batting is doing well,” Rizwan said.
It must be noted that India won the T20 World Cup 2024 by beating South Africa in the final by seven runs on Saturday in Barbados.
India joined England and the West Indies to win the T20 World Cup title two times as they won their first in 2007 by beating Pakistan in the final.
The next edition of the T20 World Cup will be held in 2026 in India and Sri Lanka for which Pakistan have already qualified owing to their seventh place on the ICC T20I rankings.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has proposed a new regulatory framework requiring all Over-The-Top (OTT) services, including YouTube, Netflix, WhatsApp, Facebook, and X (Twitter), to register locally for a period of 15 years.
According to a 14-page draft available on its website, the PTA recommends that OTT Communication Services operating in Pakistan obtain a 15-year license from the regulatory body.
Malahat Obaid, the spokesperson for PTA, told Geo Fact Check that the draft paper has been published to solicit feedback from stakeholders, with a deadline for public feedback set for July 10.
“PTA will analyse the responses and decide accordingly,” Obaid said over the phone.
The PTA categorises OTT services into three groups: Communication services (e.g., Viber, Skype, WhatsApp), Application services (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and Non-Broadcasting Media Services (e.g., YouTube, Netflix, Spotify).
If implemented, OTT services would need to comply with the new authorisation framework within 12 months, after which services without the PTA authorisation would be considered illegal, according to the draft.
The draft framework cites the controversial Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content Rules 2021, to insist that OTT services register locally.
In May 2022, the Islamabad High Court had directed the government to review the 2021 Rules to ensure they align with constitutional rights. Yet, no revisions have been made to date.
Furthermore, the new framework proposes that “personal data” must be stored exclusively in Pakistan, and content monitoring and evaluation be overseen by relevant government ministries and organisations.
When asked about the rationale behind requiring local registration and the implications for non-compliant OTT providers, as well as how the PTA intends to ensure the privacy and security of Pakistani user data stored locally, the PTA’s spokesperson did not respond by the time this report was filed.
Digital rights activists warn that the PTA’s move reflects a desire for increased control over online content.
Farieha Aziz, the co-founder of Bolo Bhi, an advocacy forum for digital rights, noted that the PTA previously attempted similar regulations in 2020. “This is not new. They have tried this earlier as well,” she said, “They [PTA] want as much control over online content as they can get.”
In 2020, Usama Khilji, director of Bolo Bhi, criticised such regulations in an opinion piece for Dawn, citing potential impacts on freedom of speech and press freedoms. He further wrote that such requirements “will force international OTT TV companies to exit the country rather than invest further”.
The 2020 proposed regulation was later rejected by the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights.
Khilji told Geo Fact Check that the recently proposed framework has similar intentions: localising online data of Pakistani users.
He explained that at the moment OTT companies store data in servers located abroad, such as in countries like Singapore or America, where large amounts of money is spent to keep the data secure and in an encrypted form.
“But PTA wants social media companies to store their data in Pakistan,” he said, over the phone, “So that whenever the government asks for [a private citizen’s] data, these companies will have to provide access.”
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) incarcerated founder Imran Khan has admitted to rifts, grouping within the party and will be meeting both factions tomorrow in Adiala jail, The News reported on Wednesday.
Refuting reports of any forward bloc within the PTI, Khan, while speaking to reporters in a courtroom at the Adiala facility, stressed that there were no major differences within the party.
The PTI founder’s remarks came as the former ruling party has been hit with internal turmoil as leaders are speaking against each other with the PTI’s core committee also rejecting the existence of any division earlier this week.
Last month, the party’s Secretary-General Omar Ayub stepped down as secretary-general of the party to focus on his role as National Assembly Opposition Leader instead.
Ayub’s resignation came amid reports of rifts in the ranks of the PTI with sources telling Geo News that 27 PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmakers deliberated on the option of resignation from the National Assembly in protest against the party’s top leadership.
Of the 27, the insiders had said 21 of its lawmakers hinted at forming a forward bloc over top leadership’s inability to secure the release of party founder from jail, the sources added.
However, Ayub’s resignation has since been rejected by the PTI’s parliamentary party which was further followed by the party’s core committee asking him to withdraw his decision to step down from the party’s coveted post.
It is to be noted that PTI’s prominent leader Sher Afzal Marwatin May, was issued a show-cause notice after he had refused to work with Ayub and others.
Furthermore, a PTI report has held the firebrand leader responsible for a scuffle between the leader of the opposition and workers which took place outside the judicial complex in Islamabad when a district and sessions court turned down Khan and his spouse’s pleas seeking suspension in their sentences in iddat case.
Last week, Marwat also demanded the resignation from Shibli Faraz, saying that the party would only then be freed from the “qabza mafia”.
Putting his weight behind Ayub, the former premier said: “[Omar] Ayub has sacrificed immensely for the party and has seen a lot of hard times. His services to the party are unforgettable.”
However, when asked about whether former federal minister and ex-party member Fawad Chaudhry had sent him a meeting message and his continuous criticism of the PTI’s current leadership, Khan chose not to respond.
Fawad had recently blamed the PTI’s current leadership for being a hurdle in the jailed PTI founder and other leaders’ release from jail due to a lack of political strategy.
The ex-federal minister also responded to the PTI leader’s criticism that those who parted ways with Khan in the aftermath of the May 9 mayhem have now started speaking in his favour as the “tough time” for the embattled party has now come to an end.
“Tough time has not ended for the jailed former premier and other PTI leaders. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry and others are still behind bars and going through a difficult time,” he said.
Furthermore, while speaking on Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan”, the former minister admitted that he was “desperate” to rejoin the PTI. He went on to say that he was standing with Khan regardless of whether he was a part of the PTI or not.
Reiterating his affiliation with the PTI, Fawad said that he would have been a “Form 47 lawmaker” if he left the Imran-founded party.
Meanwhile, party’s Information Secretary Raoof Hasan, while speaking on Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk” said that Fawad had been expelled from PTI after he joined another party, so he had no right to comment on the party.
Hasan also said that some “touts” were running a narrative against the top PTI leadership on social media, adding there is no impression in the PTI that those who left the party should be brought back
The majority opinion within the party was that those who left the party should not be brought back, he claimed.
Highlighting the efforts to break the party, the spokesperson said: “Just because some people express their opinion on a public forum does not mean that the party is falling apart.”
He also ruled out the possibility of Khan seeking to secure any deal for his release as well as hiring of any lobbying firm by the party.
Another pressing issue faced by the PTI is the return of those leaders who parted ways with the party post May 9 riots.
“There will be separate judgements for party leaders who faced torture and those who left after seeing their files (of cases against them),” said Khan.
His comments came after PTI’s core committee “unanimously” approved three resolutions regarding Ayub’s resignation, PTI deserters and disciplinary actions against those who violated party policies.
The committee also condemned those politicians who parted ways during the difficult time, the third resolution read, adding that such politicians have no moral rights or powers to comment on the party affairs.
The move followed Fawad’s severe criticism of the PTI leadership.
Speaking on the recent resolution passed by the United States House of Representatives seeking a probe into claims of irregularities during the February 8 general elections, the ex-PM said: “The Israeli lobby is the strongest in the US, but it could never bring such a resolution (in Israel’s favour) in country’s history.”.
“The resolution is related to the elections, while the cipher was related to the end of my government. I still stand by Donald Lu’s intervention,” he added while responding to a question whether the move was an interference in Islamabad’s internal affairs in comparison with the cipher controversy.
Last week, at least 368 members of the US House voted in favour of the resolution and called for a “full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities in Pakistan’s February 2024 election”. Around seven members have voted against it.
According to the House Resolution 901, representatives have voted to “express support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan”.
In response, the National Assembly condemned the US resolution terming it “contrary to facts” and “foreign intervention”.
The US resolution was completely against fact, it stated, adding that Pakistan would not tolerate any kind of interference in its internal affairs as an independent and sovereign state.
The lower house of parliament also demanded the US to maintain bilateral ties with Pakistan on mutual respect.
Pakistan origin leader of the far-right Reform UK Ben Habib has denied that his party is full of racists, Islamophobes and extreme right-wing elements who hate Muslims, immigrants and people of ethnic minority origins.
Reform UK has surged in polls in recent weeks and could come second or third in vote shares on 4th of July as its ranks swell by voters who previously supported Conservatives but are now adrift.
The far-right party’s joint deputy leader Habib spoke to Geo News in Northampton where he’s standing on the Reform UK ticket for July 4 elections.
He said: “I am the biggest example of what Reform UK is, I am proud of my Pakistani heritage, my father is a Pakistani and mum is English. I love my identity and I am one the leaders of Reform UK. It cannot be racist party. I reject the assertion that we are a far-right party.”
The multi-millionaire tycoon, whose full name is Benyamin Habib, has paid donations of tens of thousands to the right-wing Reform UK which opposes immigration to the UK, hates multi-culturalism and its leader Nigel Farage has openly spoken against Muslims. One of the party’s key leaders was caught last week racially abusing PM Rishi Sunak.
Habib came to the UK from Karachi around 50 years ago to study at a boarding school, dedicated to rich kids. His parents sent him to a private school in the UK to give him a better chance in life. He went into the property business after finishing his education and became a millionaire. He lives in London’s Fulham area and often visits Karachi to meet his friends and relatives.
He told Geo News: “We are not racists and Islamophobes. We are British citizens. We want to put the UK and its citizens first. We are not against immigrates but we are against the rampant immigration that we had over the last few decades. This has broken up our system, our NHS, housing and our job market. We want immigrations to be radically reduced. We want a culture where everyone lives harmoniously where everyone is equal, no matter whether you are from Pakistan, India or Africa.”
Far-right Tommy Robinson, Britain First, Patriotic Alternative and Homeland have urge their supporters to vote for Farage’s Reform Party.
The rise of Reform UK in the polls in recent days has dominated discussions in the media. It now looks certain that Reform’s leader Farage will win in the constituency of Clacton, whilst polling seems to indicate that the party could be on course to win several seats and it also looks certain that it will ensure that Tories lose many seats.
Habib defended his leader Farage and told Geo News that Farage had only spoken against the “extremist Muslims” and not the ordinary Muslims.
He said: “He is only against extremists. He thinks we have extremists in the country and he is concerned about them.”
He then added: “We have imported cheap, unskilled labour which has undermined wag growth and then we have high taxation. It has become impossible to earn a fair wage living. We have got six million people on benefits in this country – that is 20% of the workforce. The six million are on benefits because of low wages and high taxes, making it impossible to earn a reasonable net wage. Cheap imported labour is only one factor amongst others.”
Habib used to donate money to Conservatives but stopped giving them money because he thinks they are “broken and don’t stand up for the British values. They have broken this country for their lust of power. I cannot give money to such a party anymore”.
He also said that his father lives with him. When asked what his dad and Pakistani relatives ask him about supporting a right-wing party like Reform UK, he said that they kept asking him the same questions that Geo asked. “I give them the same answers. There is a lot of fake news about Reform UK. I am not a racist. I am proud of my Pakistani heritage and I am a proud British citizen”.
During his visits to Pakistan, he said that he saw the whole nation waving Pakistani flags on its national days. “It’s just one flag all over the country and people celebrate it. That’s brilliant. Why don’t we celebrate the Union Flag here, what are we ashamed of?
Moreover, he said that it was important to expose and end the Tory party.
Reform has been dogged by allegations over racism, misogyny, homophobia and support for Hitler and Putin but a recent poll has put them three points ahead of the Tories.
The Whitestone poll for Reach plc put Reform on 21%, the Tories on just 18% while Labour maintained a clear lead on 38%. According to Electoral Calculus in a general election this would leave the Conservatives on a mere 50 seats, give Reform 29 but the Lib Dems would be the official opposition with 74 seats.
Stocks on Wednesday surged past the key resistance barrier of 80,000 points to hit an all-time high, fueled by bets that the country was closing in on a critical lifeline for its ailing economy, traders said.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 Shares Index closed 0.9% higher, reaching a record high of 80,405 points during the day trade before ending at 80,233.67 points.
Minister of State for Finance, Revenue, and Power Ali Pervaiz Malik said on Wednesday that Pakistan was looking to clinch a staff-level agreement on an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout of more than $6 billion this month after addressing all of the lender’s requirements in its annual budget.
The index has rallied roughly 10% since the budget was presented on June 12, helped by continued optimism about getting an IMF bailout package to bolster the struggling economy.
“We hope to culminate this (IMF) process in the next three to four weeks,” Malik said while talking to Reuters. He added that Islamabad aims to finalize a staff-level agreement before the IMF board recess.
“I think it will be north of $6 billion,” he said of the size of the package, though he added that at this point the IMF’s validation was the primary focus. The IMF has, however, not responded to the junior finance minister’s statement yet.
Brokerage Arif Habib Limited (AHL) in a report said 65 shares rose, marking a positive trend, while 31 suffered losses.
“Leading the charge were HBL PA with a remarkable gain of 5.15%, POL PA climbing by 4.35%, and HUBC PA rising by 1.69%, driving the index higher,” the report said.
On the other hand, FFC PA fell by 1.48%, EFERT PA dropped by 1.28%, and PAKT PA took a significant hit, plunging by 7.09%.
The AHL report said that the 80,000-point level would now serve as a strong support for further market expansion in the coming days.
This milestone has set a new tone of confidence among investors, with the potential for continued growth and opportunity.
Speaking to Geo.tv, EFG Hermes Pakistan’s CEO Raza Jafri said that the gain was led by a burst of buying in SOEs such as the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC), with press reports indicating a push on privatization, strategic stake sales, and addressing legacy issues.
“This comes with increasing hopes of sizeable interest rate cuts in [the second half of 2024] and timely entry into an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme,” he added.
The government’s privatization plan consists of two to three years and will be executed, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said as the National Assembly passed the budget for FY25 last week.
Minister for Privatization Aleem Khan has said that the federal government intends to privatize around 24 SOEs in the coming years — with Pakistan International Airline expected to be the first enterprise to be privatized.
Meanwhile, Intermarket Securities Director of Research Saad Ali cited optimism regarding the IMF programme and continuation of macroeconomic recovery after the passing of the budget without significant bottlenecks or major amendments as the major reasons for the surge.
He added: “The market continues to re-rate from still low valuations and the prospect of lower interest rates in the future.”
A day earlier, stocks closed significantly higher at 79,552.89 points amid expectations of better earnings in the half-year results by SOEs in the oil sector.
Meanwhile, Alpha Beta Core CEO Khurram Schehzad said that the passing of the budget in line with most of the IMF’s conditions for the new larger and longer programme had given investor confidence in economic reforms and more stability in the economy.
Pakistan’s sovereign dollar bonds rallied, with the 2036 maturity gaining the most, rising by 1.19 cents to trade at 74.79 cents on the dollar by 1132 GMT.
At least five people, including former senator Hidayat Ullah, were killed in a “remote-controlled” bomb explosion targeting a vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajur district on Wednesday, according to police.
The incident took place in Bajaur’s Damadola village where the former senator’s vehicle was targeted via a remote-controlled device, Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Bakht Munir said.
Hidayat, who was a former independent senator from erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), was killed in the bomb explosion along with four others, he added.
He went to Damadola village in connection with the electioneering of a candidate in the PK-22 constituency — Najeeb Ullah Khan — who is his nephew. He faced the horrific bomb attack while returning to Bajaur’s headquarters, Khar town, police said.
According to the police, Malik Irfan from the tribal district’s Niag Banda area and Nazar Deen from Nawagai town were also among the deceased in the horrific explosion which completely destroyed the vehicle.
This picture shows the destroyed vehicle of former senator Hidayat Ullah after a bomb explosion on July 3, 2024. — Reporter
Hidayat belonged to an influential political family whose father was former National Assembly lawmaker Haji Bismillah Khan and his brother was former governor Shaukat Ullah.
He was elected as an independent senator twice — from 2012 to 2018 and 2018 to 2024 — besides serving as the Upper House’s Standing Committee for Aviation’s chairman and a member of the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta).
The Bajaur incident drew condemnation from President Asif Ali Zardari, Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, and others.
President Zardari strongly condemned the terrorism incident and mourned the deaths of the ex-senator and other persons in the Bajaur bomb blast. He expressed condolence with the families of the deceased persons and prayed for the eternal rest of departed souls.
— X/@MediaCellPPP
Senate Chairman Gilani termed it a “coward attack” and expressed sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the Bajaur incident.
In a statement posted on Senate chairman office’s X account, he said that senator Hidayat Ullah has worked tirelessly for the welfare and prosperity of the people and the country which will be remembered forever.
He also condemned the terrorism incident and vowed that the culprits behind the attack would be taken to justice soon.
Interior Minister Naqvi also condemned the Bajaur bomb blast and extended condolences to the families of the victims.
— X/@MOIofficialGoP
The latest incident occurred in the KP’s tribal district after Pakistan witnessed a spike in terrorist attacks, specifically in areas bordering Afghanistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces which were attributed to banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
However, it is not clear yet whether the killing of the former senator is linked to terrorism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Islamabad and Moscow’s relationship stood on its own, stressing the need to further boost bilateral cooperation.
“Our relations stand on our own strength, neither our relations are driven by any geopolitical contingency nor are these impacted by our relations with other countries,” the prime minister said.
The premier is currently in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana to attend the twin Summits of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State and SCO plus.
PM Shehbaz emphasised the need to overcome financial and other banking issues to expand barter trade between Pakistan and Russia.
In his exclusive meeting with the Russian president today, he said Pakistan has long business relations with Russia. He recalled that Pakistan used to import a lot of machinery and goods from Russia and export textile and leather goods under the barter trade.
The premier further said the two countries can certainly enhance trade, which is at the moment, touching one billion dollars, Radio Pakistan reported.
He also commended the Russian top leader for promoting cooperation in the field of energy at his request. He added Pakistan has received a shipment of oil from Russia and there is a need to further move in this direction.
As regards bilateral relations between both countries, PM Shehbaz said these ties have been on a positive trajectory over the last many years and this is a matter of great comfort for the two countries.
The prime minister, on the occasion, also expressed the desire to work closely with President Putin to further cement bilateral relations.
During his ongoing visit to Kazakhstan, PM Shehbaz was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, senior cabinet members and officers.
The prime minister will present Pakistan’s perspectives on key regional and global issues at the SCO Heads of State meeting. He will also address the SCO plus summit, a PM Office press release said.
He will present Pakistan’s position on key regional and global issues, emphasising the importance of the global organisation’s role for the welfare of the SCO region’s people.
The prime minister is also likely to attend a round of trilateral meetings between Pakistan, Turkiye and Azerbaijan expected to take place on Wednesday (today).
Pakistan is looking to clinch a staff-level agreement on an International Monetary Fund bailout of more than $6 billion this month after addressing all of the lender’s requirements in its annual budget, Minister of State for Finance, Revenue and Power Ali Pervaiz Malik said on Wednesday.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government has set challenging revenue targets in its annual budget to help it win approval from the IMF for a loan to stave off another economic meltdown, even as domestic anger rises at new taxation measures.
In the budget, the government has increased the taxes on the already burdened salaried class, bought exporters into the normal tax regime, increased the petroleum levy to Rs70, and imposed new taxes on the real estate sectors, among others, to increase tax collection.
“We hope to culminate this (IMF) process in the next three to four weeks,” Malik told Reuters, with the aim of thrashing out a staff-level agreement before the IMF board recess.
“I think it will be north of $6 billion,” he said of the size of the package, though he added at this point the IMF’s validation was the primary focus.
The IMF did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Earlier on Sunday, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb expressed optimism about the country’s chances of securing a new IMF bailout, following President Asif Ali Zardari’s approval of the tax-intensive budget for the upcoming fiscal year starting July 1.
“The IMF programme is our assurance in terms of macro stability. We are taking it forward; it is inevitable. I’m very optimistic that we’ll be able to take it through the finish line for an Extended Fund Programme which is going to be larger and longer in nature,” the minister said addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
In today’s interaction, Malik said the point of pushing out a tough and unpopular budget was to use it as a stepping stone for an IMF programme, adding the lender was satisfied with the revenue measures taken, based on their talks.
“There are no major issues left to address, now that all major prior actions have been met, the budget being one of them,” Malik said.
While the budget may win approval from the IMF, it could fuel public anger, according to analysts.
“Obviously they (budget reforms) are burdensome for the local economy but the IMF programme is all about stabilisation,” Malik said.
Sakib Sherani, an economist who heads private firm Macro Economic Insights, said a quick deal with the IMF was needed to avoid pressure on Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and the currency given the country’s maturing debt repayments and the effects of unwinding of capital and import controls that were applied earlier.
“If it takes longer, then the central bank may be forced to temporarily re-instate import and capital controls,” he said. “There will be a period of uncertainty, and one casualty is likely to be the rally in equities.”
Saudi Arabia has eased tourist visa requirements for Pakistani travellers with “immediate effect” wherein applicants can now submit a bank statement showing a minimum monthly credit amount of $750 or its equivalent, the Saudi Tourism Authority said on Wednesday.
Pakistani tourist arrivals to Saudi grew 43% in 2023 compared with the previous year. Saudi is aiming to welcome 2.7 million Pakistani visitors in 2024. To accommodate this growing demand, Saudi is making it easier for Pakistani travellers to obtain the visa prior to travel through one of six Tasheer offices established across the country in Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Multan, as per the statement.
The Tasheer offices offer a convenient and user-friendly experience, including visa application guidance, biometric enrolment, status tracking, and passport delivery. Travellers can schedule an appointment on the Tasheer website prior to their visit.
In addition, Saudi has introduced the transit visa which is available for travellers arriving in Saudi via Saudia and Flynas, where they can transit and explore Saudi for up to 96 hours.
Visa on arrival is available for those travellers who hold a valid and used UK, US or Schengen visa.
In the past year, Saudi introduced the one-year multiple entry visa for Pakistani travellers. This is a specific visa for those coming for personal visits such as attending weddings or functions or visiting friends or family. Holders of this visa can enjoy multiple visits to Saudi within a 12-month period, allowing them to explore the country’s vibrant cities, cultural richness, and natural wonders all year round.
Pakistani travellers with the one-year multiple entry visa can also perform Umrah, underscoring Saudi’s commitment to fostering spiritual journeys and cultural exchanges.
Making it easier to get a visa will encourage more Pakistani travellers to not only visit their friends and family and perform Umrah but will also encourage them to explore Saudi; from Riyadh’s vibrant city scape, Jeddah’s cultural richness, hidden treasures of the Red Sea, to the ancient marvels of AlUla.
Saudi is a year-round destination with several regions offering a cooler escape in summer while the busy calendar of events through winter is attracting more and more tourists each year, said the kingdom’s tourism authority.
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said on Wednesday that they hope for the circumstances of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to change constructively.
“We (the UN Secretary-General) want to see the current political situation, the current situation of Mr [Imran] Khan, evolve in a much more positive way,” Guterres’s spokesperson stated while responding to a query raised during a daily press briefing.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has been in jail since last August and was convicted in some cases ahead of a national election in February. Neck-deep in myraid of other ongoing legal cases, Khan’s party claims the charges were politically motivated to thwart his return to power.
The question was: “The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) issued unanimously a recommendation to release Imran Khan, the former Pakistani prime minister, with no conditions. Does the SG support this recommendation?”
In recent months, courts have suspended Khan’s jail sentences in two cases involving the illegal acquisition and sale of state gifts and overturned his conviction on charges of leaking state secrets.
The UNWGAD stated in an opinion issued on Monday that former prime minister Imran Khan’s detention was arbitrary and in violation of international law, adding that the jailed politician should be released immediately.
The Geneva-based UN group on arbitrary detention said: “An appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. Khan immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law.”
It further stated that Khan’s legal troubles were part of a “much larger campaign of repression” against him and his party [PTI]. It claimed that in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, members of Khan’s party were arrested and tortured, and their rallies were disrupted. It also alleged “widespread fraud on election day, stealing dozens of parliamentary seats.”
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday snubbed the UN report, calling Khan’s arrest and cases against him an “internal matter” of Pakistan.
“The PTI founder has all the rights according to the country’s constitution and law and international standards,” said the law minister in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Tarar said that the former prime minister was in jail as a convicted prisoner, adding that as an independent state, the constitution and existing laws are enforced by the courts in Pakistan.
Season two of Wednesday will be the largest production ever in Ireland, and Ireland’s prime minister, Taoiseach Simon Harris, was thankful the Netflix showmakers chose his country for the shooting.
Earlier, Romania was the location for season one, after which the show became one of the streamer’s biggest hits.
The country’s top official meanwhile visited the set and met the series’ director, showrunners, and others working there.
“I’m delighted to see Ireland continues to be chosen as a location to film series and movies which supports our economy, creates jobs, showcases our creative talents and promotes our country on a global stage,” he said.
Netflix’s VP of Production EMEA, Anna Mallett, said, “Ireland has a thriving production sector, and Netflix has a keen interest in its long-term potential.”
She continued, “In recent years we have invested substantially in productions made in Ireland such as ‘The Siege of Jadotville,’ ‘The Wonder,’ ‘Bodkin,’ and ‘Vikings: Valhalla.’ Netflix is planning to produce Marian Keyes’ ‘Grown Ups’ and Lisa McGee’s ‘How to Get to Heaven’ from Belfast series in Ireland too.”
“We’re so proud to now bring the cultural juggernaut that is Wednesday to Ireland, as the country’s biggest production it will create jobs and add millions of Euros to the Irish economy.”
The Italy-Pakistan K2 Jubilee Expedition team, which consists of women from both countries, has kicked off its campaign from the K2 base camp.
After reaching the K2 base camp, the expedition team raised the flags of Pakistan, Italy, and the Olympics and recited Pakistan’s national anthem as they were hoisting the flags.
While speaking about the team’s remarkable feat to Geo News, Italian mountaineer Agostino da Polenza hailed the women climbers for their “good spirits.”
The expedition team is being led by Samina Baig, who is the first Pakistani woman to summit K2, and it consists of four Pakistani and four Italian women climbers, who also underwent fitness tests in Italy.
“After selection, we [underwent] all sorts of tests — mentally, physically, emotionally,” Pakistani climber Nadeema Sehar told Geo News.
The ongoing year marks the 70th anniversary of the first successful summit and this special expedition is being carried out to commemorate the historic feat.
Italian adventurers already have several records to their name in mountaineering. However, on July 31, 1954, they summited the 8,611-metre-high K2, the world’s second-longest peak, for the first time in the world.
“It is a matter of great happiness for me that I am a part of this expedition and leading this expedition which is very important. I am especially happy that Pakistani women are a part of this as K2 is a dream of every climber,” said Samina on Monday.
