Pakistan

WASHINGTON: In a major bipartisan initiative, US lawmakers have introduced the Pakistan Freedom and Accountability Act (H.R. 5271), aimed at imposing sanctions on Pakistani officials responsible for human rights abuses and actions undermining democracy. The bill was announced by Bill Huizenga, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on South and Central Asia and Republican Party lawmaker from Michigan, and co-led by Democrat leader from California Sydney Kamlager-Dove, along with representatives John Moolenaar (Republican), Julie Johnson (Democrat), and Jefferson Shreve (Republican). Additional cosponsors include Rich McCormick (Republican), Jack Bergman (Republican), Joaquin Castro (Democrat), and Mike Lawler (Republican). The freedom and accountability bill authorizes the US President to impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which allows Washington to target individuals responsible for severe human rights violations or corruption. In this case, it would apply to current or ...

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan dismissed an appeal seeking to increase the imprisonment sentence of convict Sajjad in a murder case.

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reserved its verdict on an appeal filed by Nazim, a convict in a murder case.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited Alipur, a tehsil of Muzaffargarh severely affected by the recent floods, to review rescue and relief operations.

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday questioned the imposition of a super tax on provident funds, saying whether such a levy is justified when income tax itself is exempt.

Islamabad - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday dismissed a petition seeking the formation of a commission to probe the alleged audio leak of former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar, for non-prosecution.

ISLAMABAD - Ambassador of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Kistafin yesterday called on Chairman CDA and Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, at the CDA Headquarters.

ISLAMABAD - The ministries of interior and railways on Monday decided to finalize and sign the framework agreement for the proposed fast train, to be run between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, by next week.

ISLAMABAD - The Building Committee of the Supreme Court of Pakistan unanimously Monday agreed and reiterated that all development works of the Supreme Court must conform strictly to legal, environmental, and civic norms.

ISLAMABAD - Activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari Monday approached an inquiry committee of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar following last week’s heated debate between them during a case proceeding in a court.

Rawalpindi - A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) in Rawalpindi here on Monday set aside an accountability court’s order that denied exemption to former Punjab chief minister Pervez Elahi from personal appearance in a corruption reference trial.

Arab and Muslim leaders called for a review of ties with Israel after emergency talks in Doha on Monday following last week’s deadly strike on Hamas members in the Qatari capital. The Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) joint session, which brought together nearly 60 countries, sought to take firm action after Israel’s attack on Qatar-hosted Hamas officials as they discussed a Gaza ceasefire proposal. It was co-sponsored by Pakistan. A joint statement from the summit urged “all states to take all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people”, including “reviewing diplomatic and economic relations with it, and initiating legal proceedings against it”. Qatar’s fellow Gulf nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, along with Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, were among those present that recognise Israel. The leaders of the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, which signed the Abraham Accords recognising Israel five years ago to the d...

United States President Donald Trump criticised New York’s Democratic governor on Monday for endorsing New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, whom he branded a “Liddle’ communist” in a social media post. Mamdani, a 33-year-old New York state assemblyman and self-declared socialist, rocked American politics and the Democratic Party establishment in June by winning the party’s mayoral primary. He remains the front-runner in polls ahead of the November 4 election to decide who will be the next mayor of America’s most populous city. “Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has endorsed the ‘Liddle’ Communist,” the US president wrote. “This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City. How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely.” Mamdani has campaigned on a platform of narrowing the wealth gap between rich and poor New Yorkers and providing affordable housing to low-income residents. On Sunday, Hochul gave her backing to Mamdani over Andrew Cuo...

The federal government on Monday increased the high-speed diesel price by Rs2.78 per litre for the next fortnight. A notification from the Finance Division said the new HSD price was Rs272.77 per litre. Meanwhile, the petrol price was kept unchanged at Rs264.61. Previously, the government had kept the petrol price unchanged, while the price of HSD was reduced by Rs3 per litre. Petrol, used mainly in private cars, small vehicles, rickshaws and motorcycles, directly impacts the budgets of middle- and lower-middle-income groups. Most of the transport sector runs on HSD and its price is considered inflationary as it is mostly used in heavy transport vehicles, trains and agricultural engines like trucks, buses, tractors, tube-wells and threshers and particularly adds to the prices of vegetables and other eatables.

He has signed a contract until 2027

Skipper Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu struck attacking half-centuries to lead the United Arab Emirates to a thumping 42-run win over Oman in the men’s Asia Cup on Monday. Waseem, who hit 69, and Sharafu, who made 51, put on 88 runs for the opening wicket to guide hosts UAE to a challenging 172-5 in Abu Dhabi. The home bowlers then combined to dismiss Oman for 130 in 18.4 overs for their first win in this edition of the regional tournament played in the T20 format. Medium-pace bowler Junaid Siddique stood out with figures of 4-23. Haider Ali and Muhammad Jawadullah took two wickets each. The batters had set up victory.  Waseem and Sharafu started cautiously but soon took the attack to the opposition with a flurry of boundaries. Sharafu fell for his 51, but Waseem kept up the charge and reached fifty with a six. The captain was run out in the final over. UAE play Pakistan, who went down to tournament favourites India in a key match, next on Wednesday, with the winner likely to move into the Super Four sta...

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