Search form

You are here

  • Home
  • Pakistan anti-graft court allows questioning of deputy at Imran Khan’s party amid political turmoil 


Pakistan anti-graft court allows questioning of deputy at Imran Khan’s party amid political turmoil 

The file photo posted on July 21, 2022, shows Pakistan's former prime minister, Imran Khan (left) and Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's party, in Lahore, Pakistan. (Photo courtesy: Chaudhry Parvez Elahi/Facebook)
Short Url

https://arab.news/jd354

Updated 15 August 2023
AP 
Follow

Pakistan anti-graft court allows questioning of deputy at Imran Khan’s party amid political turmoil 

  • The development comes a day after Pakistan’s anti-graft body arrested Pervez Elahi after his one-month detention expired 
  • Elahi was detained under a law that allows the government to arrest any suspect to ensure law and order in the country 
Updated 15 August 2023
AP 

ISLAMABAD: An anti-graft tribunal in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Tuesday allowed authorities to interrogate the president of former premier Imran Khan’s political party in a corruption probe, prosecutors and a defense lawyer said. 

The latest development comes a day after the National Accountability Bureau arrested Pervez Elahi in the garrison city of Rawalpindi after his one-month detention expired. Elahi was detained under a law that allows the government to arrest any suspect to ensure law and order in the country. 

Elahi is the president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI. Khan, who is imprisoned, is the chairman. 

Khan was arrested on August 6 after a court sentenced him to three years for corruption in a move that analysts say could halt his future in politics, for now. 

The court ruled that Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 but remains the country’s leading opposition figure, had concealed assets after selling state gifts. Khan denies the charge. 

Tuesday’s development was a blow to Khan’s party as Elahi was expected to campaign for his release. It came hours after police arrested Khan’s nephew, Hassan Niazi, on charges of inciting people to violence in May when Khan’s supporters attacked government and military installations. 

At least 10 people died in the May 9 violence, which subsided only when the Supreme Court released Khan, who has been implicated in more than 150 legal cases since his ouster. Khan is also accused of inciting people to violence after his arrest. 

A court in Islamabad on Tuesday canceled Khan’s bail in three cases, meaning he could be arrested even if he is released by the Islamabad High Court, which is expected to hear his appeal against his conviction and sentencing this month. 

Khan’s party blames his successor, Shehbaz Sharif, for victimizing him. 

Sharif replaced Khan in April 2022 and relinquished his charge on Monday when caretaker premier Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar took charge to oversee the elections, which are expected to be held in October or November under the constitution. 

Topics: Imran Khan PTI Pakistan National Accountability Bureau NAB Hassan Niazi Pervez Elahi

Toronto-bound PIA flight diverted to Karachi due to ‘technical fault’ — spokesperson

Updated 9 sec ago
Follow

Toronto-bound PIA flight diverted to Karachi due to ‘technical fault’ — spokesperson

  • PIA spokesperson says the flight, PK-781, departed from Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad late Friday
  • But the fault forced captain to return instead of continuing the long flight over the Atlantic, he adds
Updated 9 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: A Toronto-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight was diverted to Karachi due to a “technical fault” it encountered after the take-off, a PIA spokesperson said on Friday.
The flight, PK-781, departed from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad late Friday, according to PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan.
The technical fault with the aircraft was “minor,” but the captain preferred to return instead of continuing the long flight over the Atlantic Ocean.
“The decision to bring the plane to Karachi was made due to better arrangements at the engineering base and availability of spare parts,” Khan said in a statement.
The airlines made the arrangements for the return of the flight to Karachi as well as food, transportation and accommodation of passengers, according to the PIA spokesperson.
“The flight has been rescheduled to depart for Toronto at 1pm tomorrow (Saturday),” he added.
Pakistan is set to privatize the national airline, which has been facing a financial crisis for the last several years, by June and July as part of the requirements set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
On Friday, the Ministry of Privatization named eight business entities that have expressed interest in acquiring stakes in the PIA.
Pakistan agreed to overhaul its public sector entities under a $3 billion short-term loan package it signed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last year to avert a sovereign debt default.

Topics: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)

PM Sharif asks Pakistan embassy to help local students in Bishkek amid mob violence

Updated 5 min 9 sec ago
Follow

PM Sharif asks Pakistan embassy to help local students in Bishkek amid mob violence

  • There have been a number of incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since last evening, Pakistan embassy says
  • The matter boiled over due to sharing online of videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt on May 13
Updated 5 min 9 sec ago
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed his concern over mob violence around student hostels in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek and asked the Pakistani ambassador to help local students in the city.
There have been a number of incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since last evening. The matter boiled over due to sharing online of videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt on May 13, the Pakistani embassy said on Facebook, citing the Kyrgyz press. 
So far, a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students, including Pakistanis, have been attacked. The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and there have been reports of minor injuries to a number of students from Pakistan.
“Deeply concerned over the situation of Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I have directed Pakistan’s Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance,” Sharif said on X. “My office is also in touch with the Embassy and constantly monitoring the situation.”
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokeswoman for the Pakistani foreign office, said the Pakistani embassy had responded to hundreds of queries by students and their families. She said Pakistan’s envoy and his team were available on the emergency contact numbers: +996555554476 and +996507567667.
“In case the numbers do not connect because of phone traffic, please text/WhatsApp,” Baloch said on X.
The Pakistani embassy earlier said the violence appeared to be directed against all foreign students and not specific to Pakistanis, adding that it had been able to contact over 250 students and their family members in Pakistan.
It said this was an evolving situation and they would inform the Pakistani community in Kyrgyzstan and their relatives in Pakistan about any further developments.

Topics: Bishkek Pakistani students

Pakistan posts highest current account surplus in 11 months, sees 95% improvement

Updated 18 May 2024
Follow

Pakistan posts highest current account surplus in 11 months, sees 95% improvement

  • Experts attribute improved current account situation to growth in remittances and increase in exports
  • Pakistan’s IT exports also shot up in April, with local firms branching out in the Middle Eastern market
Updated 18 May 2024
KHURSHID AHMED   

KARACHI: Pakistan recorded its highest current account surplus in April after a span of nine months, driven by increased remittances and exports that collectively improved the current account situation by 95 percent in the ongoing fiscal year, according to data released by the central bank on Friday.
The country posted a monthly current account surplus of $491 million last month, the highest since June 2023. During the first 10 months of the current fiscal year (10MFY24), the country’s deficit decreased by 95 percent on a year-on-year basis to $202 million. This was in marked contrast to a deficit of $3.92 billion recorded in the corresponding period last year, as per the data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
“Pakistan’s current account improvement was mainly driven by an increase in remittances, month-on-month export growth, along with a decline in imports,” Tahir Abbas, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, told Arab News.
Pakistan received $2.8 billion of workers’ remittances in April 2024, which is 27.9 percent higher on an annual basis. The total inflow of remittance stood at $23.8 billion in the 10-month period of FY24.
“The remittance inflows are mainly due to the upcoming Eid Al-Adha,” Abbas said, referring to a Muslim festivity that follows the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah. “This is the major contributor to the overall current account improvement.”
The central bank statistics show the monthly information technology (IT) exports from Pakistan increased by 62 percent on an annual and one percent on a monthly basis in the month of April to $310 million.
“This is the highest ever export number in a single month, with the previous highest of $306 million recorded in March 2024,” Topline Securities, a Karachi-based brokerage firm, said in its report issued on Friday.
The monthly IT exports in April are higher than the last 12-month average of $245 million, the brokerage firm added.
The growth in IT exports is due to the expansion of local companies in the Gulf market, especially Saudi Arabia, a relaxation of the permissible retention limit by the SBP from 35 percent to 50 percent in the exporters’ specialized foreign currency accounts, allowing them greater control over their earnings, and stability in the national currency, according to Topline Security.
All of these factors have encouraged IT exporters to bring a higher portion of profits back to the country, it added.
The cumulative IT exports in the first 10 months of the fiscal year increased by 21 percent on an annual basis, reaching $2.59 billion, compared to $2.14 billion recorded in the corresponding period last year. The net IT export number in April is also higher than last 12-month average of $214 million.
The central bank released data on foreign direct investment (FDI) as well that hit $359 million, up 172 percent on a yearly and 39 percent on a monthly basis in April.
This is the highest monthly inflow in nearly four and a half years. The major FDI inflow of $177 million came from China. During the first 10-month period of the ongoing fiscal, the net FDI inflow increased by eight percent on an annual basis to $1.45 billion compared to an inflow of $1.35 million in the corresponding period last year.

Topics: Pakistan economy

Punjab administration orders shortened school hours due to looming heatwaves

Updated 17 May 2024
Follow

Punjab administration orders shortened school hours due to looming heatwaves

  • A notification orders schools to ensure all fans are in working condition and water coolers available
  • Provincial government has also announced summer vacation for all schools from June 1 to August 14
Updated 17 May 2024
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: The provincial administration of Punjab announced on Friday it would cut short the usual timings of all public and private schools for the rest of the month amid rising temperatures and warnings from the Meteorological Department of impending heatwaves in the coming weeks.

Just a day earlier, the Met Department warned that a major heatwave was set to engulf much of the country next week, with daytime temperatures expected to rise four to six degrees Celsius above the average.

It also predicted dust storms and heavy rains in various parts of Pakistan, including Punjab.

“In the wake of severe weather, it is hereby notified that following School timings shall be observed in all Public and Private Schools in the Province of Punjab with effect from 18th May to 31st May, 2024,” said a notification circulated by the provincial education department, showing 7 AM as the starting time and 11:30 AM as the finishing hour.

It instructed the schools to end classes at 10:30 AM on Friday and Saturday.

The notification also instructed the school authorities to ensure that all fans were in working condition, water coolers were available and no student was made to sit in uncovered and open spaces like lawns in summer season.

Another notification also announced that all the schools in the province will remain closed from June 1 to August 14 for summer vacation.

“All schools in the province shall reopen with effect from Thursday 15th August, 2024,” it added.

In recent years, Pakistan has experienced extreme weather patterns, including unprecedented rains, flash floods, droughts and heatwaves.

Experts attribute these erratic weather patterns to climate change, placing Pakistan among the ten countries most vulnerable to its impacts.

Topics: heatwave Punjab School Arab News Pakistan

Pakistan’s army chief vows full support for hockey team after silver medal win in Malaysia

Updated 17 May 2024
Follow

Pakistan’s army chief vows full support for hockey team after silver medal win in Malaysia

  • The national hockey team reached the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final for the first time in 13 years
  • The Pakistani players were also hosted and praised by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week
Updated 17 May 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir vowed on Friday to fully support the national hockey team while meeting with its players and applauding them for winning a silver medal in the recent Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.

A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also hosted the Green Shirts in Islamabad in recognition of their outstanding performance at the tournament, where they reached the finals for the first time in 13 years.

Sharif praised the team’s performance and reiterated his administration’s commitment to promoting sports, particularly hockey, in the country.

The army chief also praised the squad during the interaction with its players in Rawalpindi.

“The hockey team has brought immense pride to the nation, and we are committed to providing them with comprehensive support to ensure their continued success,” he was quoted as saying in a statement released by the military’s media wing, ISPR.

He also extended his best wishes to the players for their future endeavors.

Cricket has generally overshadowed other sports in Pakistan, including hockey, in terms of popularity and media attention.

This is despite the fact that hockey is the country’s national sport and has a rich history of international success. Yet, it has not received the same level of sustained interest or investment as cricket, with the disparity impacting its development and visibility within the country.

Topics: Pakistan hockey team Azlan Shah Cup

Latest updates

Israeli forces kill senior Palestinian militant in Jenin: army
Fierce fighting in northern Gaza as aid starts to roll off US-built pier
Toronto-bound PIA flight diverted to Karachi due to ‘technical fault’ — spokesperson
PM Sharif asks Pakistan embassy to help local students in Bishkek amid mob violence
Pacers pummel Knicks to stay alive in NBA playoffs

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2024 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.