News blog

Not concerned about elections or politics right now, says Maryam on  July 02, 2018 LONDON: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz remarked on Monday that she is not concerned about the upcoming general election or politics and only focusing on her mother’s health. “My sole concern is my mother right now. May God grant her health,” she remarked while speaking to media outside Harley Street Clinic. “There are times in your life when relations take precedence over everything,” she added. Maryam will be contesting the forthcoming elections from NA-127 and PP-173 constituencies of Lahore. Earlier in the day, an accountability court allowed a three-day exemption to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam in the Avenfield reference against the Sharif family. The Avenfield reference, pertaining to the Sharif family's London properties, is among three references filed against the Sharif family by the National Accountability Bureau...

Case filed for Lyari rioting after Bilawal responds to stone-pelters on Twitter on  July 01, 2018 Case filed for Lyari rioting after Bilawal responds to stone-pelters on Twitter on  July 01, 2018 Zardari/ @BBhuttoZardari KARACHI: A first information report (FIR) was filed Sunday night against 400-450 unidentified persons, including 13 locals, for rioting during the electoral rally of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Geo News reported, with the case including the clause of terrorism as well. Earlier in the day, water-deprived citizens in Lyari's Bihar Colony pelted stones at the PPP leader, with some disgruntled protesters resorting to vandalism and one of the rioter's sticks breaking the windscreen of a vehicle in the caravan.  The residents stopped his rally, chanting slogans against him. Bilawal’s motorcade was halted as his car started to heat up and was...

Pakistan hands over list of 471 Indian prisoners: foreign ministey on  July 01, 2018 The Government of Pakistan handed over on Sunday a list of 471 Indian prisoners—53 civil and 418 fishermen—in Pakistan to the High Commission of India in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on May 21, 2008, under which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other's custody twice a year, on 1 January and 1 July, respectively,” the statement said. The Indian Government will also hand over the list of Pakistani prisoners to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.  Pakistan sets free 147 Indian fishermen as goodwill gesture On January 7, Pakistan had released 147 Indian fishermen from a prison in Karachi’s Malir as a goodwill gesture. According to jail officials, the fishermen were sen...

Angry protesters disrupt Bilawal’s electoral campaign in Karachi on  July 01, 2018 KARACHI: Angry protesters disrupted Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s electoral campaign in Lyari area of Karachi on Sunday. The residents of Bihar Colony stopped Bilawal’s rally from travelling to Lyari and chanted slogans against him. Some disgruntled protesters also resorted to vandalism and broke the windows of a car, which was a part of PPP chief’s caravan. Bilawal’s motorcade was eventually halted as his car started to heat-up. Speaking about the incident, PPP leader Yousaf Baloch told Geo News that protesters can never fall to the level that they did in Lyari.  "Those protesting do not belong to PPP," he remarked, alleging that protesters belonged to their political rivals such as Muttahida Qaumi Movement among others.  Earlier in the day, Bilawal had reached Lyari and kicked off the party’s election campaign. Earlier ...

44 dead in bus crash in northern India: police 44 dead in bus crash in northern India: police on July 01, 2018 The bus crashed into a gorge in the Himalayas. Photo: AFP At least 44 people were killed in northern India Sunday when a passenger bus crashed into a gorge in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, police said. "44 people have died in the accident. At least 3 others are injured. The rescue work is still ongoing," Deepesh Chandra Kala, a disaster management officer from Pauri Garhwal district where the accident occurred, told AFP. The accident happened on the Pipali-Bhoan motorway and rescue operations are under way. According to Indian media reports, 20 bodies have been recovered so far. About 45 passengers were travelling in the mini bus which was headed for Ramnagar from Bhoan, the reports said. The reason for the accident is not yet known.

Trump says Saudi king agrees to ramp up oil production on  June 30, 2018 Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Saudi Arabia´s King Salman had agreed to his request to ramp up oil production, a week after OPEC already announced an output rise. The official Saudi Press Agency confirmed a phone call between the two leaders about oil, but mentioned no specifics. "Just spoke to King Salman of Saudi Arabia and explained to him that, because of the turmoil & dysfunction in Iran and Venezuela, I am asking that Saudi Arabia increase oil production, maybe up to 2,000,000 barrels, to make up the difference," Trump announced in an early morning tweet. "Prices too high! He has agreed!" The Saudi Press Agency said Trump had called Salman and the two highlighted "the necessity of doing efforts in order to preserve the stability of the oil market and the global economy growth." They also discussed "efforts...