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Caretaker government on Tuesday decided to keep prices of petroleum products unchanged for the month on August. A notification issued by the ministry of finance stated that the caretaker government does not support the recommendation of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the matter to increase prices of petroleum products will be decided by new government. OGRA had forwarded a summary to the Finance Ministry recommending hike in prices of petrol and high speed diesel by Rs 2.45 and Rs 2.70 per litre respectively for approval. The price of price of kerosene oil had been recommended to be increased by Rs 3.25 per litre and price of light diesel by Rs 3.40 per litre.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday has directed Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct polls in NA-60 constituency (Rawalpindi-IV). Following the decision, Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid withdrew his petition against the delay in elections in the constituency. Speaking to media, the AML leader said that the nation wants change which can only be delivered by Imran Khan. “Khan’s victory is the win of the nation. Rashid Shafiq will contest election from our side in NA-60. One of my contenders was disqualified while the other withdrew in my support,” told Rashid. On July 22, the ECP postponed polling in the NA-60 constituency due to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hanif Abbasi’s disqualification by the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) Court of Rawalpindi a day earlier. Rashid challenged the polls deferral in Lahore High Court and Supreme Court however; both his petitions were rejected, on the basis that it is practically impossib...

Schools across Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be re-opening from today. In Sindh, schools re-opened after being off for nearly two and a half months. In June, the Sindh education department had recommended an extension in the summer break of schools, colleges and universities till July 27 in view of the forthcoming elections. However, last month the caretaker Sindh government approved of a recommendation seeking an extension in the summer break till July 31. In Balochistan, schools also re-opened after summer vacations. According to the Balochistan education department, the 17 districts that will have schools opening from today include Sibbi, Lasbela, Gawadar, Turbat, Jaffarabad, Naseerabad along with Jhal Magsi. Schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also be reopening from today.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday telephoned Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to congratulate him on his party's successful performance in the recently-held general elections, the PTI media cell said. During the telephonic exchange, the two leaders exchanged the hope for the beginning of a positive chapter in the bilateral relations. According to the PTI statement, Erdogan extended his "good wishes for Imran Khan and his future government", at which the PTI chief thanked the Turkish president. Earlier on Monday, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had telephoned Imran Khan, congratulating him over his party's victory in the general elections and conveying best wishes for Pakistan. "We are ready to enter a new era of relations with Pakistan," Modi was quoted as saying by the PTI press release. According to the statement, Modi said both the countries should adopt a joint strategy for progress in bilateral ties. M...

Spiders pay far more attention to colour than previously thought, according to new research from the University of Cincinnati. Scientists investigated how wolf spiders reacted to videos of courting spiders when the background colour, contrast and intensity was manipulated. They found that female spiders responded to videos of males which contrasted sharply from their background, and more strongly to the coloured versions. In the wild, male spiders called "eavesdroppers" are known to lurk in the background and learn to mimic other male spiders' courting displays. Biologist Professor George Uetz said: "The assumption was wolf spiders don't pay attention to colour. But we found that isn't really true." Wolf spiders have become a popular avenue of study because of the work at Professor Uetz's laboratory into how their eight eyes function so differently to human eyes. "We need to look more closely at the neurobiology of their eyes. We need to...

Political lobbying continues to form the governments in Punjab and the centre. The leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been busy holding meetings with the allied parties and independents in a bid to acquire the necessary numbers to form provincial and federal governments. In Punjab, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen claimed that his party has the support of 18 independents, adding that four out of 30 independents had won on more than one provincial assembly seat. With the independents, its own MPA elects and seven from the PML-Q, the PTI’s total tally stands at 148 members. However, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah, whose party gained 129 seats in the provincial assembly, says they have enough MPAs, including independents, to form a government and are not revealing their identities on purpose. The PTI leadership has reportedly decided to bring Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader and former provincial chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the speaker of the Punjab Assembly. So...

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been shifted from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences to Adiala Jail. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo is currently serving his prison sentence after being convicted in a corruption case by the accountability court. Nawaz is being shifted as per his own wish, sources said. Strict security was deployed to shift him. Earlier in the day, the doctors at PIMS had said that Nawaz Sharif’s health is improving. Last night, Nawaz’s sugar, blood pressure and ECG (electrocardiogram) were not normal after which all the tests were conducted again today, the doctors had said. PIMS Head of Cardiology Dr Naeem Malik along with his three-member team had conducted Nawaz’s check-up today. Nawaz was shifted from Adiala Jail to PIMS’ cardiac ward on the orders of the caretaker government on Sunday. The former premier was admitted to PIMS' coronary care unit on doctors' advice, who examined him after he complained of chest pain. A notificati...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will keep his hometown seat of NA-95 Mianwali, sources informed. Imran had promised the people of Mianwali that if successful he would keep this seat. The PTI chairman had won the seat with 162,499 votes with the PML-N’s Obaidullah Shadikhel coming in second. Khan had made history when he bagged five National Assembly seats in the July 25 General Election. Apart from the Mianwali seat, Khan was successful on NA-53 Islamabad, NA-243 Karachi, NA-35 Bannu and NA-131 Lahore. After Khan vacates these seats, the Election Commission of Pakistan will announce by-elections on them. Following the election, PTI secured 116 seats in the National Assembly, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz with 64 and Pakistan Peoples Party with 43.

Chief of Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces, Admiral Ademir Sobrinho called on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at GHQ on Tuesday, the military’s media wing said in a statement. Matters of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting, including bilateral military cooperation, measures to improve bilateral military engagements, and the regional security situation, the ISPR stated. The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan Army’s professionalism and achievements in the war against terrorism, the statement added. Earlier on his arrival at GHQ, the Chief of Staff also laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada where a guard of honour was presented to him, said the ISPR.

Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Babar Yaqoob reiterated on Tuesday that the July 25 polls were free and fair. "We took measures to provide a level playing field to all parties," the ECP secretary said while addressing the media in Islamabad. Stating that acting upon Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) petition, the electoral body requested the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to not arrest political leaders till after the polls were over, Yaqoob said, "Elections were postponed in NA-60." ECP decided to postpone polls in NA-60, Rawalpindi constituency following PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi's sentence to ensure that all parties have a level playing field, he noted. Asserting that the polls were fair, Yaqoob reiterated that the ECP has rejected political parties' demand for the resignation of the chief election commissioner (CEC). "The call for CEC's resignation by a number of political parties has been rejected," he...

Two policemen embraced martyrdom in firing on Tuesday. According to the details, the fire took place in the area of Adda Khan Sharif in the jurisdiction of PS Parwa. Two policemen embraced martyrdom in the incident. Heavy contingent of the police reached the spot, investigation underway. Earlier on July 26, five soldiers have been martyred in Battagram, while performing election duty, as their vehicle plunged into a cliff. According to the military spokesperson, the soldiers’ vehicle fell 250 feet down a cliff after delivering election material at the returning officer’s office in NA-12, Battagram. DG ISPR wrote in his tweet that five more sons of soil embraced martyrdom while serving the nation during election duty.

125th birth anniversary of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Mother of the Nation and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s sister, is being celebrated today. Fatima Jinnah was born on July 30, 1893, the youngest of seven children. Of her siblings she was the closest to Muhammad Ali Jinnah who became her guardian upon the death of their father in 1901. She joined the struggle for a separate Muslim homeland and was able to win respect for her determination and devotion to the aim within and outside All India Muslim League. Fatima Jinnah is revered for her struggle in the Pakistan Movement, her devotion to her brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of the nation, and determined advocate for women’s rights. She backed her brother through thick and thin when he decided to lead the Muslims of the subcontinent to achieve a Muslim country. Fatima Jinnah had participated in the presidential election against military dictator Ayub Khan and was able to win two of Pakistan’s largest cities, Karachi a...

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will issue notifications of all successful candidates in General Election 2018 by August 9, said a statement released by the electoral body Monday. According to ECP, returning officers have finalised the Form 49 — which tabulates consolidated results including postal ballots. The final, official results of the July 25 polls will be announced after the candidates submit, to the ECP, the details of expenses incurred during their electoral campaign. Notifications of successful candidates who fail to share the details of expenses incurred in their electoral campaigns will be withheld, the electoral body said. Candidates have until August 4 to submit their expense declarations. After the successful conditions are notified, independent candidates will have three days to join a party. The strength of all political parties in the national and provincial assemblies will be determined by August 7, after which the ECP will issue notifications of su...

Ridiculed the world over for faking and diving during a disappointing World Cup campaign in Russia, Brazilian forward Neymar has admitted to “exaggerated” reactions saying he is still learning to deal with frustration and blaming his “brat” like behaviour on his inner child. In a 90-second video made for his sponsor Gillette. published Sunday on social media accounts and broadcast on several Brazilian television networks, features the Brazilian superstar accepting criticism for the first time and promising to win back fans who criticised his behaviour. The striker scored two goals in the tournament and was not too disappointing until his team got knocked out by Belgium in the quarter-finals, but fans and players have spoken much more about his theatrical reactions to challenges which often left the world’s most expensive footballer wincing and rolling on the ground and arguing with referees. “Boot studs on the shins, kick in the spine, stomp on the foot, you may think I overreact,...

A Pakistan Army team on Tuesday rescued a Russian mountaineer stranded on the Latok 1 mountain peak which is a part of the Karakoram range. According to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Alexander Gukov had been trapped at a height of 20,650 feet for the past six days and was rescued today after an intense helicopter mission. The statement further read Gukov ran out of food three days ago with bad weather preventing helicopters from reaching the spot, adding that the rescue mission started on July 26. According to Anna Piunova, coordinator of the rescue team, Gukov is on his way to a hospital however, he is in a critical condition. "He was rescued, they are flying to the hospital of city of Skardu," Piunova told a Russian news agency. She added that the rescue operation involved two Pakistani military helicopters. Earlier this month, Pakistan Army teams had rescued two British mountaineers stranded on Ultar Sar mountain located in Hun...

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has sent a summary to the Power Division suggesting yet another hike in prices of various petroleum products effective August 1. The regulatory body has recommended an increase of Rs2.75 per litre in petrol prices, Rs3 per litre for diesel, and Rs4 per litre for kerosene oil, sources familiar with the matter said. The caretaker government, however, may leave the decision for a revision in petroleum prices to the incoming government, the sources added. Earlier on July 1, the interim government had hiked the price of petrol by Rs7.54 to Rs99.50 per litre, diesel by Rs14 to Rs119.3 per litre and kerosene oil by Rs3.36 to Rs87.7 per litre. It had also raised rates of other petroleum products. However, a week later, the prices were reduced after the Supreme Court took notice of heavy taxes on the sale of petroleum products.

Major parties in the opposition on Monday held a meeting and decided to form a grand opposition for formulating a strategy on alleged rigging in the July 25 General Election. Addressing media, senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples’ Party, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and Awami National Party said there is no parallel of rigging on this scale in elections in the country, in which Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Imran Khan claimed victory. PPP's Yousaf Raza Gilani and MMA chief Fazlur Rehman also decried media censorship. "The entire world, the nation and ECP [Election Commission of Pakistan] should note that there is no instance of all parties rejecting election results unanimously like this ever," said Fazl. Those stealing the mandate of masses should be ashamed of themselves, he said. Gilani said that an all parties conference would be held soon, and a strategy would be formulated to take up the issue of rigging. The parties will play the...

The tax amnesty scheme will not be extended beyond midnight tonight (Tuesday), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) announced on Tuesday. The FBR has warned holders of undeclared local and foreign assets will face consequences if they do not declare assets after the expiry of the tax amnesty scheme. According to Chairperson of the Federal Board of Revenue Rukhsana Yasmin, there is no possibility in further extension of the deadline. She urged the public to avail this last and final chance to get their undeclared assets declared since today is the last day today to avail tax amnesty scheme The tax amnesty scheme was announced by the PML-N government earlier this year, came into effect on April 10, 2018 and was to end on June 30, 2018. The scheme had been cited as an opportunity for people to file their local and foreign assets without facing any consequences.            

Price of dollar has recorded small decrease of Rs.2 in inter bank trading. According to details, selling price of dollar has reached to Rs. 123 during trading in inter bank market, while purchase price is Rs.122.80.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Monday that any potential International Monetary Fund bailout for Pakistan’s new government should not provide funds to pay off Chinese lenders. In an interview with CNBC television, Pompeo said the United States looked forward to engagement with the government of Pakistan’s expected new prime minister, Imran Khan, but said there was “no rationale” for a bailout that pays off Chinese loans to Pakistan. “Make no mistake. We will be watching what the IMF does,” Pompeo said. “There’s no rationale for IMF tax dollars, and associated with that American dollars that are part of the IMF funding, for those to go to bail out Chinese bondholders or China itself,” Pompeo said. The Financial Times reported on Sunday that senior Pakistani finance officials were drawing up options for Khan to seek an IMF bailout of up to $12 billion. An IMF spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that we have so far not received a request for a Fund arrangement from Pakist...

Zimbabweans lined up on Monday to vote in the country’s first election since Robert Mugabe was ousted, with the opposition vowing to defy alleged ballot fraud and deliver an electoral upset. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mugabe’s former right-hand man in the ruling ZANU-PF party, faces opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) in a historic vote for the southern African nation. Officials overseeing the polls, in which a record number of candidates are standing, said early signs including long queues at some polling stations suggested a high turnout nationwide. “I just have to do this. I have to see a better Zimbabwe for my kids. Things have been tough,” Tawanda Petru, 28, an unemployed man voting in Mbare, a low-income district of the capital Harare, said. “I’m going to vote for Chamisa, for change. I am not afraid.” Mugabe, 94, who was ousted by the military in November, voted at his customary polling station in Harare alongside his wife Grace a...

India on Monday effectively stripped four million people in Assam of citizenship, sparking fears of mass deportations of Muslims from the northeastern state. The draft National Register of Citizens (NRC), published on Monday, includes only those able to prove they were in Assam before 1971, when millions fled Bangladesh's war of independence into the state. Critics say it is the latest move by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to advance the rights of India's Hindu majority at the expense of its many minorities. More than 30 million people had applied to be included on the list, of whom just over four million were excluded from the draft published on Monday, said Shailesh, the registrar general of India, who uses one name. “No genuine Indian citizens need to worry as there will be ample opportunities given to them to enlist their names in the final NRC,” he told a news conference in Assam's biggest city Guwahati. He said those wishing to appea...

US President Donald Trump says he is ready to meet his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, “any time they want to.” Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday, Trump asserted that he would “certainly meet” with Iranians with “no preconditions.” “It’s good for the country, good for them, good for us and good for the world. No preconditions. If they want to meet, I’ll meet,” said the US president. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared on CNBC hours later to set some conditions. "We've said this before," said the former CIA chief. “If the Iranians demonstrate a commitment to make fundamental changes in how they treat their own people, reduce their malign behavior, can agree that it's worthwhile to enter into a nuclear agreement that actually prevents proliferation, then the president said he's prepared to sit down and have the conversation with them.” Trump’s latest stance towards Tehran runs counter to...

Fire officials in Greece have raised the death toll from a wildfire that raged through a coastal area east of Athens to 91 and reported that 25 people are missing six days after blaze. Before the national fire service updated the official number of fatalities Sunday night, it had stood at 86. Greek officials previously had not provided a tally of the people reported missing. The fire sped flames through the village without warning on July 23. A database maintained by the Centre for the Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters in Brussels shows it as the deadliest wildfire in Europe since 1900. The vast majority of victims died in the fire itself, though a number drowned in the sea while fleeing the flames. Dozens of volunteer divers, some of them retired Navy Seals, kept searching the sea on Sunday looking for the bodies of more possible victims.

Pakistan’s ambassador to the US Ali Jahangir Siddiqui met with the US Secretary of Defence General James Mattis on Monday. The meeting took place on Pakistan’s request. The two sides have had strong military relations. The Pakistani ambassador visited Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, where he discussed ties between the two countries. Among other things discussed in the meeting were the ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the regional security situation. Pakistan’s Defence and Army Attaché Brigadier Kamal Anwar Chaudhry accompanied Tareen on his visit to the Pentagon.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan Convenor Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Tuesday announced that Rabita Committee will make the final decision on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's invitation to join the federal government. A PTI delegation led by Jahangir Tareen met with the leadership of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan on Monday night to seek their support for government formation in the centre. The meeting held at MQM-Pakistan’s Bahadrabad office was also attended by PTI leaders Firdaus Shamim Naqvi, Imran Ismail and Haleem Adil Siddiqui. In a press conference held after the meeting, Tareen said that he had a positive meeting with the MQM leadership and has invited the party to join federal government, adding that the people of Karachi gave a joint mandate to the PTI and Siddiqui's party. "To move forward we have to think of the masses. Its in the manifesto of PTI to resolve basic issues of the metropolis," he said. "We will resolve water, transport, infrastructur...

Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Yao Jing Monday called on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to congratulate the latter on election victory. The Chinese envoy, while presenting felicitations on behalf of his government to the prime minister-in waiting, reiterated Beijing’s desire to strengthen cooperation with Islamabad in all sectors. "Yao highly appreciates Imran Khan s positive remarks on China Pakistan relations and is willing to work together with the new government to push China Pakistan relations to a new level," read a statement issued by the Chinese emabassy.

Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Monday telephoned PM-in-waiting Imran Khan and felicitated latter on landslide victory in General Elections 2018. Modi also extended extended warm and cordial wishes to Imran Khan. Both leaders agreed to overcome the past and to lay a new foundation for a prosperous political, social and economic future. Modi told Khan that India is ready for a new era of ties with Pakistan and called for crafting collective strategy for combating regional challenges. Khan also stressed on resuming talks while adding that issues can’t be solved through wars. Khan stressed on initiating collective efforts for uprooting poverty from the region.

Archaeological department of Argentina discovered biggest fossil of dinosaur. The fossil was found in the northwest of Argentina during a field trip. The scientists found four skeletons in all, one of a new species and three of related dinosaurs. Dinosaurs were the biggest animals to have walked the earth, with some weighing as much as a space shutt

Scientists have found that Climate change resulting from human activities made the current Europe-wide heatwave more than twice as likely to occur. Researchers compared the current high temperatures with historical records from seven weather stations, in different parts of Europe. They also say the scale of the heatwave in the Arctic is unprecedented. Researchers looked at data from seven weather stations, in Finland, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

Scientists have found that Climate change resulting from human activities made the current Europe-wide heatwave more than twice as likely to occur. Researchers compared the current high temperatures with historical records from seven weather stations, in different parts of Europe. They also say the scale of the heatwave in the Arctic is unprecedented. Researchers looked at data from seven weather stations, in Finland, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

Pakistan Science Foundation is considering to establish new science laboratories in at least one school of each district in far flung areas for the students of grade ninth and tenth. Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation, Major (Retd) Qaiser Majeed Malik said that they have initiated a project Science Talent Farming Scheme and hoping that encouragement of such bright students would give long term results soon.

The Pakistan hockey team has announced to not participate in the forthcoming Asian games in protest over the non-issuance of their due daily allowance. "The players have not yet received the daily allowance for the training camp held for Champions Trophy," said national side's skipper Rizwan Senior. "We won't participate in the Asian Games if we aren't given our due daily allowance." The national side's training camp was scheduled in Holland for the Champions Trophy. "It's not a revolt we are asking for our due right," Rizwan added. Senior player Imran Butt said that the team has conveyed their decision to the team management. Pakistan Hockey Federation President Khalid Sajjad Khokar, in his reaction on the developments, said that there is a conspiracy underway against the national hockey team. Khokar requested the players to not give any statement to the media regarding the pay issue. "We will clear all dues before going...

A team of international scientists observing a star in the Milky Way have for the first time confirmed Einstein’s predictions of what happens to the motion of a star passing close to a supermassive black hole. Einstein’s 100-year-old general theory of relativity predicted that light from stars would be stretched to longer wavelengths by the extreme gravitational field of a black hole, and the star would appear redder, an effect known as gravitational red shift. “This was the first time we could test directly Einstein’s theory of general relativity near a supermassive black hole,” Frank Eisenhauer, senior astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, told journalists. “At the time of Einstein, he could not think or dream of what we are showing today,” he said. A team of scientists at the European Southern Observatory started monitoring the central area of the Milky Way using its Very Large Telescope to observe the motion of stars near the supermassive black ...

A powerful earthquake on the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok killed at least 14 people, injured hundreds and damaged thousands of homes on Sunday, officials said. The shallow 6.4-magnitude quake jolted the island in the early morning, sending people running outside in panic and triggering landslides on popular mountain hiking routes. Scores of aftershocks sparked fear among survivors. More than 120 were recorded, the biggest with a magnitude of 5.7, Indonesia’s meteorology agency said. Local officials have declared a three day state emergency, according to multiple television reports. "Thirteen people have died, hundreds of people were injured and thousands of homes were damaged in the earthquake in East Lombok. We are still collecting data," Indonesian disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement. One Malaysian was killed and six injured, the Malaysian foreign ministry said. "All of them were at the foot of Mount Rinjani when...

Muttahida Malis-e-Amal's (MMA) deputy president Siraj-ul-Haq on Monday rejected president Fazal-ur-Rehman's suggestion to boycott taking oath in the parliament. MMA, a political alliance consisting of conservative, religious, and far-right parties of Pakistan, has protested against the poll results. It includes Jamaat-e-Islami, Rehman's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) among other political parties. During a press conference held at Jamaat-e-Islami's (JI) head office in Mansoorah, Haq said he did not believe in responding to disagreement with hostility. "We will sit in the opposition with complete dignity and play our part," he said. The JI chief and deputy president of MMA further noted that a responsible leadership was put in charge of the electoral process, however, excessive intervention of institutions had affected the public opinion. "All efforts were made to remove the national and political leadership from the picture," Haq said. ...

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif arrived in the federal capital on Monday for several important meetings. The PML-N president was accompanied by party leaders and former federal ministers Saad Rafique and Khawaja Asif. Sources said Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman called on Shehbaz at the ministers' enclave of the capital where they discussed several political issues. Shehbaz has reportedly informed Rehman about his party's decision of not boycotting Parliament. Similarly, the PML-N president also held a meeting with a delegation of the Awami National Party. Shehbaz, after chairing a high-level party huddle, also decided that the "sham elections" will be challenged and every forum while the party is also striving to bring forth a consensus candidate for opposition leader in the National Assembly. According to sources, Shehbaz is also expected to meet his brother and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who was sh...

President of Maldives Abdullah Yameen has congratulated Chairman PTI Imran Khan over his vistory in the general elections. He phoned Imran Khan and expressed his best wishes for the next government. Imran Khan thanked Maldivian President for his good wishes for Pakistan.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said the nation has placed its trust in Imran Khan by voting the party to power, and asked the public to support it in achieving its vision for the country. Addressing media here earlier today, Qureshi slammed the All Parties Conference – held by opposing parties in the aftermath of the election results – as “unsuccessful” and pointed out that most of the parties rejected boycott of the Parliament. The All Parties Conference convened by the Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman-led Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal last week rejected the results of the 2018 general elections, but failed to reach a consensus on boycotting the new assemblies. “The APC was unsuccessful, [most of] the opposition parties rejected Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman’s [suggestion] to boycott the Parliament,” said Qureshi. “[Everyone] from the world over is congratulating Imran Khan on the victory. Even opponents are praising his [victory] speech. [Imran’s] win is a result...

The head of the five-member medical team that examined former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Adiala jail suffered a heart attack Sunday night, sources close to the matter told media. Dr Ejaz Qadeer of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), who conducted Nawaz’s medical checkup in the prison, was hospitalised last night after he suffered a heart attack. He is currently under treatment at the hospital’s Cardiac Centre, sources within PIMS said. The sources informed that Dr Qadeer is a cardiac patient and has suffered a heart attack before as well. He was fitted with two stents in the past, they added. The medical board for Nawaz’s checkup spearheaded by Dr Qadeer also comprised PIMS Head of Cardiology Dr Naeem Malik, Medical Specialist Dr Shajee Siddiqui, Dr Sohail Tanvir and Dr Mashood. It was reported yesterday that former premier Nawaz Sharif was shifted from Adiala jail to PIMS’ cardiac ward on the orders of the caretaker government. Upon his complaint of chest...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Babar Awan says PTI is going to form government as per people's aspirations. Talking to newsmen in Islamabad on Monday, he said the expectations emerged out of the success of Imran Khan in elections will be met. Babar Awan said instead of individuals institutions will rule during the PTI's government. He said no decision has so far been taken about nominee for chief minister Punjab.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday took notice of a complaint regarding stamped ballot papers found in a garbage dump in Karachi. Stamped ballot papers were recovered Sunday night from a garbage heap in the metropolis' Qayyumabad area. The ballot papers mentioned candidates who contested the polls from the NA-241 and PS-160 constituencies. Further, voter cards were also found alongside the ballot papers. The stamped ballot papers and voter cards were first found by the area's residents in a garbage heap, which had been set on fire. Shortly afterwards, local representatives of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) arrived at the scene and took away the ballot papers, mostly bearing stamps on their symbols as well as that of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Taking notice of media reports, the electoral body ordered the provincial election commissioner, district returning officer, and returning officer to...

Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir resumed hearing the Al Azizia and Flagship corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday. As the hearing went under way, the court inquired into the presence of Nawaz's counsel Khawaja Haris. His colleague then informed the court that the counsel is on his way. When the judge asked when the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up the Sharif family's pleas against the Avenfield verdict, the secondary counsel replied that their appeals will be heard tomorrow. The judge then decided to briefly adjourn today's hearing to allow Nawaz's counsel to appear in court before he takes matters forward. After the recess, Judge Bashir observed that he would wait for the IHC's instructions tomorrow. The hearing was then adjourned till August 1. Haris seeks transfer of cases to another judge At the last hearing on July 18, Haris had reiterated his objection to the proceedings being heard by the same j...

Former premier Nawaz Sharif was shifted from Adiala Jail to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital's cardiac ward Sunday night on the orders of the caretaker government, citing sources. Upon the ex-prime minister's complaint of chest pain, doctors carried out a check-up and advised that he be shifted to a coronary care unit (CCU) immediately, sources said, following which the jail superintendent contacted the additional chief secretary. "In light of the additional chief secretary's report, the caretaker government has decided to shift Nawaz [Sharif] to PIMS," sources in the Interior Ministry said. His "ECG (electrocardiogram) was conducted and showed changes as per the medical report," sources said. Sources disclosed that he was subsequently moved to the CCU. PIMS' cardiac ward declared sub-jail: notification According to a notification issued after Sharif's transfer to the PIMS hospital around 8PM last night, the medi...

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has photographed Saturn and Mars near their closest approaches to Earth in June and July 2018. It’s now summertime in Saturn’s northern hemisphere and springtime in Mars’ southern hemisphere. The Hubble images show that Earth isn’t the only planet where intense spring and summer storms wreak havoc. The increase in sunlight in Saturn’s northern hemisphere has heated the atmosphere to trigger a large storm that is now disintegrating in Saturn’s polar region. On Mars, a dust storm erupted in the southern hemisphere and ballooned into a global dust storm enshrouding the entire planet. The planets were photographed near opposition, when the Sun, Earth and an outer planet are lined up, with Earth sitting in between the Sun and the outer planet. Around the time of opposition, a planet is at its closest distance to Earth for a given year. Because of the close proximity, the planet also appears brightest in the sky. Hubble viewed Saturn on June 6, when the ri...

In a first in four years, the US dollar shed Rs5.36 against the rupee on Monday in the inter-bank market, falling to Rs122.5. As the markets opened, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a positive trend. The benchmark KSE-100 index gained 314 points to reach 43,100 points. The positive economic indicators are considered to be largely driven by what investors consider the return of political stability following the July 25 polls. The national debt will decline by Rs450 billion as the rupee consolidates gains against the greenback. In a comment to media, market analyst Samiullah Tariq said, "News of inflows from multiple channels including the credit line from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has created a positive sentiment about the balance of payments. This has resulted in a drop in dollar price in the interbank market against the rupee." As the future outlook becomes clear and investors gain confidence about the outcome of their future investments, the marke...