Page 3 - Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan PM Sharif unveils broader plan to sell most state-owned firms

The statement didn't clarify which sectors would be deemed strategic and non-strategic

Pakistan PM Sharif approves $86 mn grant for Kashmir region after protests

A police official was killed and over 90 people injured when thousands of people clashed with police in the region over the weekend, said Shah Nawaz, a local government official

No tolerance for taking law in one's own hands: Pak PM on situation in PoK

He noted that he has directed all Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) office bearers in AJK to talk to the leaders of the action committee

Pakistan's newly appointed Dy Prime Minister Dar to visit China next week

Pakistan's newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will embark on a three-day official visit to China on May 13, during which he will meet top Chinese leaders and comprehensively review bilateral relations, including the upgradation of the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Dar, who is also the foreign minister, will co-chair the 5th Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday. "The two sides will comprehensively review Pakistan-China bilateral relations including economic and trade cooperation; high-level exchanges and visits; upgradation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and future connectivity initiatives," the statement said. The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is opposed by India as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Dar and Wang will

Pakistan PM Sharif removes 25 senior tax officers for corruption: Report

In a major crackdown to rid Pakistan's top tax collection body of corrupt and inefficient officials, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif removed 25 senior officers from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Sharif took action against the senior officers based on inputs from three intelligence agencies about their lack of financial integrity and competence, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. On the advice from the Prime Minister's Office, the FBR on Friday issued the notifications for the removal of 13 officers with immediate effect. Another 12 officers who were either already having no positions or were working on deputation in other ministries were recalled. Among those who have been ousted included the top-tier members of the board, chief commissioners and a former FBR chairman, who was already without a position for the past two years. Their replacements will be from among those who have been declared competent and righteous by the three intelligence agencies, according to governmen

Imran Khan's party denies secret talks with Pak's powerful establishment

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said on Tuesday that the party has no interest in engaging in discussions with anyone, firmly denying any rumours of secret negotiations with the powerful establishment. Today, I asked the party's founding chairman Imran Khan if some institutions had contacted him for the talks. Imran Khan clearly said that no one had contacted him, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan told reporters outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. He said no one had even contacted him for dialogue, nor had he received any message for talks from anyone, Gohar Khan was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper. Gohar Khan's clarification came days after it was reported in a section of the media that Imran Khan had revealed that some PTI leaders were still in contact with the establishment (the military). The same is the case with the other party leadership. Even if we receive any message from anyone for dialogues, we will inform the media, he said. G

Pakistan's benchmark share index trades at record high, breaches 72,000

The index has surged 75.5% over the past year and is up 11.5% year-to-date

Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif set to visit Saudi to advance investment talks

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to visit Saudi Arabia soon, his second trip this month to the friendly Gulf kingdom, to advance investment talks as his cash-strapped government has presented lucrative returns on Saudi investment. According to The Express Tribune, in addition to the enticing prospects of harvesting rich dividends on investment, Pakistan has assured priority in profits to Saudi investors without any hindrances. Sharif's government has presented returns ranging from an appealing 14 per cent to an astounding 50 per cent on Saudi investment, the report said. According to government sources involved in these discussions, the indicated returns on Saudi investment are expected to allow the Kingdom to recoup its invested capital within three to nine years, depending on the nature of the project. Pakistan aims to advance the Saudi Arabia investment initiative during the April 27-28 visit of Sharif, who will be accompanied by a team from the Special ...

Pak PM Shehbaz orders fool-proof security arrangements for Chinese workers

He directed the interior ministry to increase collaboration with the provinces to further improve the provincial anti-terrorism departments

Zardaris supersede Sharifs with most legislators from same family in Pak

The Zardaris have overtaken the Sharifs to hold the record for having the most number of lawmakers from a family in Pakistani politics after President Asif Ali Zardari and slain former premier Benazir Bhutto's youngest daughter Aseefa was elected unopposed as a member of Parliament. Aseefa, who is set to become the First Lady, had filed a nomination for the National Assembly seat NA-207 from the Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshah) area of Sindh province for the bye-election scheduled for next month. According to a notification issued by the Returning Office of the area, Aseefa was elected unopposed after three candidates who had filed papers against her withdrew their names from the contest. The three candidates were Abdul Rasool Brohi, Amanullah and Mairaj Ahmed. It left her with no challenger and she was declared a winner in her maiden electoral contest Friday. The seat was vacated by her father, Asif Ali Zardari after he was elected as the president. With her victory, the

Misery for Pak public as petrol price likely to rise by PKR 10 per litre

According to industry officials, the price of petrol is poised to inflate by nearly PKR 10 per litre due to a surge in international crude prices

Former Pak PM Imran Khan demands probe in May 9 violence, Feb 8 polls

Jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan once again on Wednesday demanded a judicial probe into the May 9 violence and the February 8 elections, urging Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to hear the petitions filed by his party on the two issues. Khan, 71, while speaking to journalists after attending a court hearing in the 190 million pound corruption case, said the establishment was using the May 9 violence following his arrest in a corruption case as a pretext to dismantle his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. Khan claimed that the plot to dismantle his party was hatched in London by the now-ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party and urged Chief Justice Isa to set up a judicial commission to probe the matter, Dawn News reported. Khan's supporters resorted to violence, burning civil and military installations following his arrest by the National Corruption Bureau (NCB) outside the Islamabad High Court premised in a corruption case. The May 9 violence, also

Pakistan needs another IMF bailout, says PM Sharif amid economic woes

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the review for issuance of the last tranche of USD 1.1 billion which hopefully be received by next month

Will not tolerate any act of cross-border terrorism: Pakistan's PM Sharif

Amidst a spike in terror attacks in Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday asserted that his government will not tolerate any acts of cross-border terrorism and that his country would like to exist in peace with all its neighbours. Days after what is now known as the Mir Ali attack in the restive northwest Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was addressing the first meeting of the apex committee a top official civil-military body tasked to tackle militancy since the new government came to power earlier in the month. Pakistan is facing a renewed threat by militancy. Over the weekend, two Pakistan Army officers and five soldiers were killed in a terror attack at Mir Ali in the troubled northwest of the country. Without naming any country, Sharif asserted that his country would not tolerate any cross-border terrorism from the neighbouring countries under no circumstances. The prime minister said that Pakistan would like to have peace with all neighbours and urged t

Pak govt accuses Imran Khan's party of trying to sabotage deal with IMF

Shahbaz Gill, Imran Khan's former chief of staff, in his speech, said that the IMF's mandate requires it to promote democracy and good governance

India abstains in UNGA on Pakistan's draft resolution on Islamophobia

India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a draft resolution introduced by Pakistan and co-sponsored by China on Islamophobia, asserting that the prevalence of religiophobia against Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and other faiths facing violence and discrimination must also be acknowledged rather than singling out just one religion. The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution Measures to combat Islamophobia', introduced by Pakistan on Friday, with 115 nations voting in favour, none against and 44 abstentions, including India, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and the UK. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj voiced condemnation of all acts motivated by anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia but asserted that it is crucial to acknowledge that such phobias extend beyond Abrahamic religions. Clear evidence shows that over decades, followers of non-Abrahamic religions have also been affected by religiophobia. This has led to the

Perform or perish: Pakistan PM Shehbaz tells new cabinet members

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said a deep surgery is required to pull the cash-strapped country out of the economic crisis and urged his Cabinet members to either perform or perish. The prime minister inducted 19 members into his Cabinet earlier in the day, ending the tenuous wait for the completion of government formation in the country. Addressing the maiden cabinet meeting, Shehbaz said Pakistan is facing massive challenges and a deep surgery is required to pull the country out of the economic crisis. Taking stock of the issues and problems affecting the economy and the country, the prime minister asked his Cabinet members to perform or perish, saying that the time is now or never. Shehbaz said the government should take difficult decisions and that too without wasting any time. Deep surgery is needed as antibiotics will not work, he said. Shehbaz said bringing inflation under control is the biggest challenge, however, the government together with the provinc

Pakistan PM Sharif picks Ex-JPMorgan banker Aurangzeb as finance minister

Aurangzeb was chosen over other possible candidates, including longtime Sharif ally Ishaq Dar and ex-central bank governor Shamshad Akhtar

Pak Prez administers oath to 19-member Cabinet recommended by PM Sharif

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday administered the oath to 19 members of the Cabinet of the newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, ending the tenuous wait for the completion of government formation. The oath-taking ceremony was held in the President's House and was attended by Prime Minister Sharif among others. Those who took oath included Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Azam Tarar, Rana Tanvir, Mohsin Naqvi, Ahad Cheema, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Riaz Prizada, Qaiser Sheikh, Shaza Fatima, Aleem Khan, Jam Kamal, Amir Muqam, Awais Leghari, Atta Tarar, Salik Hussian and Musaddiq Malik. The portfolio of the new minister will be announced later. Aurangzeb will likely be the finance minister, Dar as the foreign minister, and Khawaja Asif the defence minister. Azam Tarar will be the law minister, Atta Tarar as information minister, Musaddik Malik as petroleum minister, Mohsin Naqvi as interior minister and Ahad Cheema as minister for Kashmir ..

Pak PM Sharif recommends 19 member list to Prez Zardari for his new cabinet

Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has recommended 19 names to President Asif Ali Zardari to be inducted into the federal cabinet, and if approved the ministers would take oath on Monday, according to media reports. The 19 names, which were sent to newly elected President Zardari as part of a letter, include 12 Members of the National Assembly and 3 senators as federal ministers among others and came a day after Prime Minister Sharif held a marathon meeting, which continued late into the night, to finalise the names, the Dawn newspaper reported. Pakistan Muslim League President Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan on February 4. "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suggested newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari to appoint a 19-member cabinet. According to a letter written by the premier to Zardari, the cabinet includes 12 MNAs and 3 senators as federal ministers, as well as Shaza Fatima Khawaja as a minister of state," the report .