Ramzan Sugar Mills case: AC accepts Hamza Shehbaz’s exemption plea

An accountability court in Lahore has accepted Hamza Shehbaz’s plea of exemption from personal appearance in Ramzan Sugar Mills case, reported on Thursday.

The accountability court’s judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry conducted the hearing of Ramzan Sugar Mills case where the counsel of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Shehbaz Sharif’s son, Hamza Shehbaz, submitted his exemption plea.

Hamza Shehbaz Sharif had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, confirmed party leader Atta Tarar on September 13.

The judge summoned witnesses in the case in the next hearing. It is noteworthy to mention here that the court also approved permanent exemption from personal appearance of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in the case.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing till October 20.

The NAB had filed a reference accusing former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz and others for causing losses to the national exchequer and misusing authority by sanctioning construction of a bridge to facilitate the sugar mills.

NAB officials say, Shehbaz Sharif, being the chief minister of Punjab, misused his authority by issuing directives for the construction of a 10-kilometre-long drain in Chiniot primarily to benefit the sugar mill owned by his sons. Shehbaz and Hamza have been accused of fraudulently causing a Rs 213 million loss to the national exchequer.

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Ramzan Sugar Mills case: AC accepts Hamza Shehbaz’s exemption plea

An accountability court in Lahore has accepted Hamza Shehbaz’s plea of exemption from personal appearance in Ramzan Sugar Mills case, reported on Thursday.

The accountability court’s judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry conducted the hearing of Ramzan Sugar Mills case where the counsel of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Shehbaz Sharif’s son, Hamza Shehbaz, submitted his exemption plea.

Hamza Shehbaz Sharif had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, confirmed party leader Atta Tarar on September 13.

The judge summoned witnesses in the case in the next hearing. It is noteworthy to mention here that the court also approved permanent exemption from personal appearance of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in the case.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing till October 20.

The NAB had filed a reference accusing former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shahbaz and others for causing losses to the national exchequer and misusing authority by sanctioning construction of a bridge to facilitate the sugar mills.

NAB officials say, Shehbaz Sharif, being the chief minister of Punjab, misused his authority by issuing directives for the construction of a 10-kilometre-long drain in Chiniot primarily to benefit the sugar mill owned by his sons. Shehbaz and Hamza have been accused of fraudulently causing a Rs 213 million loss to the national exchequer.

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All available resources would be utilized to strengthen strategic capabilities: Imran Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday reiterated that Pakistan’s nuclear and strategic capability was safe and secure under a robust command and control system.

He passed the remark during his visit to Satellite Ground Station of Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) here in the federal capital.

“We shall continue to strengthen our strategic capability to safeguard our vital national interests,” he said.

On the occasion, PM Imran was briefed about Suparco’s achievements in developing indigenous capabilities in space, science and technology, and its contributions towards strengthening national security as well as the socio-economic development of the country.

During the visit of various technical facilities and interaction with SUPARCO’s engineers and scientists, the prime minister reiterated that all available resources would be utilized in further strengthening strategic capabilities to preserve the country’s sovereignty.

PM Imran also recognised the significant role of space technology and assured requisite support for the expansion of space-based services and infrastructure to give impetus to the National Space Programme-2047 for socio-economic development.

 

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All available resources would be utilized to strengthen strategic capabilities: Imran Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday reiterated that Pakistan’s nuclear and strategic capability was safe and secure under a robust command and control system.

He passed the remark during his visit to Satellite Ground Station of Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) here in the federal capital.

“We shall continue to strengthen our strategic capability to safeguard our vital national interests,” he said.

On the occasion, PM Imran was briefed about Suparco’s achievements in developing indigenous capabilities in space, science and technology, and its contributions towards strengthening national security as well as the socio-economic development of the country.

During the visit of various technical facilities and interaction with SUPARCO’s engineers and scientists, the prime minister reiterated that all available resources would be utilized in further strengthening strategic capabilities to preserve the country’s sovereignty.

PM Imran also recognised the significant role of space technology and assured requisite support for the expansion of space-based services and infrastructure to give impetus to the National Space Programme-2047 for socio-economic development.

 

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Indian court acquits Hindu nationalist leaders in Babri Masjid demolition case

An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted Hindu nationalist leaders, including former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani, in a case over the demolition of a mosque at a disputed site 28 years ago, citing a lack of evidence.

The demolition sparked nationwide riots that killed more than 3,000 people in a decades-long dispute that has fueled Hindu-Muslim tension, as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign for Hindu renaissance helped bring it to power.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Lucknow in its Wednesday ruling said that the demolition was not pre-planned and that the people who demolished the mosque were “anti-national elements”.

The court pinned the blame on miscreants mingled among the crowd instead, adding that leaders such as Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, another former cabinet minister, had tried to keep the mob from turning violent.

Handing down its verdict after a lengthy legal battle, the court said there was not enough evidence to directly tie any of the accused to the violence, defence lawyer Manish Kumar Tripathi said.

“The court did not accept the evidence, it was not strong enough,” Tripathi told reporters at the courthouse.

The court had ignored all the evidence in Wednesday's case, said Zafaryab Jilani, a lawyer for the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, adding that it planned to appeal to the high court against the decision.

“We will seek remedy,” he added.

'Indian judiciary miserably fails to deliver justice again'

Reacting to the verdict, Pakistan strongly condemned the "shameful" acquittal of those responsible for demolishing the historic Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

"Taking almost three decades to decide on the criminal act which was televised live and happened as a result of well-planned Rath Yatras and on the instigation to mobs by the accused BJP, VHP and other leaders of Sangh Parivar, tells the world that the Hindutva-inspired Indian judiciary miserably failed to deliver justice again," said a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"The demolition of the mosque had resulted in BJP-led communal violence leading to thousands of killings. If there was a semblance of justice in the so-called largest ‘democracy’, the individuals, who had boasted of the criminal act publicly, could not have been set free.

"The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-BJP regime and the Sangh Parivar are responsible for the continued desecration and demolition of mosques in India in an organised manner as they did during the Gujarat massacre of 2002 and Delhi pogrom in 2020."

Pakistan urged the Indian government to ensure safety, security and protection of minorities, particularly Muslims and their places of worship and other Islamic sites "on which the Hindu extremists and zealots have laid claims".

Conversion to temple

Advani, who was then BJP chief, was among 32 people accused of criminal conspiracy and inciting a mob to tear down the 16th century Babri mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya in 1992.

The mosque stood on a site revered by devout Hindus as the birthplace of Ram.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a Hindu temple to be built at the site, after the Supreme Court paved the way last year, in a decision that also ordered land to be allotted further away for a mosque.

Pakistan, called the top court verdict "a flawed judgement", had said: "A temple built on the site of a historic mosque will remain a blot on the face of the so-called Indian democracy for the times to come."

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Vice Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi appointed new Naval chief

Vice Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi has been appointed as the new Chief of Naval Staff.

He will replace Admiral Zaffar Abbas who retires on October 6. Zafar has been serving as Naval Chief since October 2017.

Prime Minister Imran Khan recommended his appointment which has been approved by President Arif Alvi.

Vice Admiral Amjad Khan will take charge as a new Naval chief on October 6.

Vice Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi joined Pakistan Navy in 1983. Also a recipient of Sword of Honour, the Admiral has an illustrious career with wide-ranging experience of various Command and Staff appointments.

His major Command appointments include Commanding Officer PNS BADR, Commanding Officer PNS TARIQ, Commander18th Destroyer squadron, Commandant PNS BAHADUR and Commandant Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore.

He is a graduate of Army Command & Staff College, Quetta and National Defence University, Islamabad. The Admiral has been awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-e-Basalat by the Government of Pakistan and French Medal Chevalier (Knight) by the Government of France.

 

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Indian court acquits Hindu nationalist leaders in Babri Masjid demolition case

An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted Hindu nationalist leaders, including former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani, in a case over the demolition of a mosque at a disputed site 28 years ago, citing a lack of evidence.

The demolition sparked nationwide riots that killed more than 3,000 people in a decades-long dispute that has fueled Hindu-Muslim tension, as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign for Hindu renaissance helped bring it to power.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Lucknow in its Wednesday ruling said that the demolition was not pre-planned and that the people who demolished the mosque were “anti-national elements”.

The court pinned the blame on miscreants mingled among the crowd instead, adding that leaders such as Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, another former cabinet minister, had tried to keep the mob from turning violent.

Handing down its verdict after a lengthy legal battle, the court said there was not enough evidence to directly tie any of the accused to the violence, defence lawyer Manish Kumar Tripathi said.

“The court did not accept the evidence, it was not strong enough,” Tripathi told reporters at the courthouse.

The court had ignored all the evidence in Wednesday's case, said Zafaryab Jilani, a lawyer for the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, adding that it planned to appeal to the high court against the decision.

“We will seek remedy,” he added.

'Indian judiciary miserably fails to deliver justice again'

Reacting to the verdict, Pakistan strongly condemned the "shameful" acquittal of those responsible for demolishing the historic Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

"Taking almost three decades to decide on the criminal act which was televised live and happened as a result of well-planned Rath Yatras and on the instigation to mobs by the accused BJP, VHP and other leaders of Sangh Parivar, tells the world that the Hindutva-inspired Indian judiciary miserably failed to deliver justice again," said a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"The demolition of the mosque had resulted in BJP-led communal violence leading to thousands of killings. If there was a semblance of justice in the so-called largest ‘democracy’, the individuals, who had boasted of the criminal act publicly, could not have been set free.

"The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-BJP regime and the Sangh Parivar are responsible for the continued desecration and demolition of mosques in India in an organised manner as they did during the Gujarat massacre of 2002 and Delhi pogrom in 2020."

Pakistan urged the Indian government to ensure safety, security and protection of minorities, particularly Muslims and their places of worship and other Islamic sites "on which the Hindu extremists and zealots have laid claims".

Conversion to temple

Advani, who was then BJP chief, was among 32 people accused of criminal conspiracy and inciting a mob to tear down the 16th century Babri mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya in 1992.

The mosque stood on a site revered by devout Hindus as the birthplace of Ram.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a Hindu temple to be built at the site, after the Supreme Court paved the way last year, in a decision that also ordered land to be allotted further away for a mosque.

Pakistan, called the top court verdict "a flawed judgement", had said: "A temple built on the site of a historic mosque will remain a blot on the face of the so-called Indian democracy for the times to come."

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Oxford to study anti-inflammatory drug as potential COVID-19 treatment

Oxford University said on Wednesday it would study whether the world’s best-selling prescription medicine, adalimumab, was an effective treatment for COVID-19 patients – the latest effort to repurpose existing drugs as potential coronavirus therapies.

Adalimumab, which is sold under the brand name Humira by AbbVie, is a type of anti-inflammatory known as an anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drug. Recent studies have shown that COVID-19 patients already taking anti-TNF drugs for inflammatory bowel disease and inflammatory arthritis are less likely to be admitted to hospital, Oxford said in a statement.

Oxford’s trial, called AVID-CC, will be aimed at treating people in the community, especially in care homes, the university said. It will enrol up to 750 patients from community care settings throughout Britain.

Humira is used to treat a range of conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and psoriasis.

The availability of biosimilar versions of the medicine would make it affordable and accessible if the trial is successful, Oxford said. Novartis makes one of the alternatives, Hyrimoz.

Research has identified some treatments for hospitalised COVID-19 patients, including Gilead’s remdesivir as well as the generic steroid drug dexamethasone.

Researchers have also studied other anti-inflammatory drugs for treating COVID-19. Severe infections are believed to be triggered by an over-reaction of the immune system, known as a cytokine storm, and drugs that suppress certain elements of the immune system can play a role in arresting a rapid escalation of symptoms.

But there are as yet no effective therapies for people who are not admitted to hospital.

Care homes were particularly hard hit by the first wave of COVID-19 in the UK and other countries. If Humira were successful against COVID-19, this could help some older people who are some of most vulnerable, it said, at a time when governments are struggling to contain the pandemic.

The Oxford study is funded by the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator initiative set up by global health charity Wellcome, as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Mastercard.

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Vice Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi appointed new Naval chief

Vice Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi has been appointed as the new Chief of Naval Staff.

He will replace Admiral Zaffar Abbas who retires on October 6. Zafar has been serving as Naval Chief since October 2017.

Prime Minister Imran Khan recommended his appointment which has been approved by President Arif Alvi.

Vice Admiral Amjad Khan will take charge as a new Naval chief on October 6.

Vice Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi joined Pakistan Navy in 1983. Also a recipient of Sword of Honour, the Admiral has an illustrious career with wide-ranging experience of various Command and Staff appointments.

His major Command appointments include Commanding Officer PNS BADR, Commanding Officer PNS TARIQ, Commander18th Destroyer squadron, Commandant PNS BAHADUR and Commandant Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore.

He is a graduate of Army Command & Staff College, Quetta and National Defence University, Islamabad. The Admiral has been awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-e-Basalat by the Government of Pakistan and French Medal Chevalier (Knight) by the Government of France.

 

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Move to sell extra telecom spectrum for $1bn

Pakistan will this week begin the process of selling unused telecom spectrum in an auction it hopes will raise around $1 billion and enhance network capacity, said three senior government officials familiar with the matter.

The spectrum is in the 1800 and 2100 MHz bands typically used by operators for 4G LTE (long-term evolution) networks that offer faster video streaming and internet downloads, said the officials.

They asked not to be named as they were not authorised to discuss the matter with the media.

The country plans to kick-start the process by laying out plans to retain an international consulting firm that would design the auction process, and advise on base pricing and other details, they said, adding that no sale date has yet been set.

Pakistan is anxious to replenish state coffers that have been hit by a slump in the economy and in tax collections exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesman for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said the process to hire a consultant for “Spectrum Auction 2020-21” has been initiated. He declined to give further details.

The country has some 85 million 3G/4G subscribers, and the upcoming auction is seen as a precursor to any 5G launch.

The Pakistan telecom market is dominated by Jazz, backed by Netherlands-based Veon Ltd; Telenor Pakistan, backed by Norway’s state-controlled Telenor; Zong, owned by China Mobile and Ufone, which is controlled by state-owned Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd.

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PCB’s Ehsan Mani admits PSL 1, 2 had financial irregularities

Following questions by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly on Wednesday Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani admitted that there were financial irregularities during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 1 and 2.

“There indeed were financial irregularities in PSL 1 and 2 but this matter is with the committee now,” he told reporters in Islamabad. “This matter will be investigated. Whatever the truth may be, will be revealed.”

Mani also touched a variety of subjects, defending PCB’s conduct during his tenure as opposed to what was done during his predecessor Najam Sethi’s times.

“Cricket teams are coming to Pakistan after 10 years but no one appreciates that,” he bemoaned.

“We did not pay even a rupee to any player of any team to come here. In the past, West Indies players were paid to visit Pakistan.”

Regarding the Board’s legal battle over the PSL’s financial model, Mani pinned the blame on the franchises themselves.

“I had told PSL franchises in the beginning that their financial structures were not right,” he said.

The PCB chair was expected to hold a meeting with head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, Test captain Azhar Ali and veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez this week for bypassing the Board and airing their grievances to Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding the new domestic cricket structure. The meeting could not take place due to the National T20 Cup but Mani hinted that the trio may not be out of the woods yet.

Misbah-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez met the prime minister without permission. This is PCB’s disciplinary matter and will certainly be looked into,” he said.

Mani also reiterated that PCB’s stance on conflict of interest, saying: “Misbah and others have been told clearly that they will have to leave their other jobs.”

Meanwhile, Senator Sherry Rehman, following Mani’s appearance in the PAC, reminded the PCB chairman that he was answerable and accountable to the authorities on how the PCB spends its monies.

She said that Mani was “unable to respond to any query” in front of the committee and kept on saying that he was “autonomous”, which she said evoked “a storm of questions and rejoinders”.

“AGPR (Accountant General Pakistan Revenues) and I informed him he is answerable to the government,” she explained.

“It’s accounting procedures and, therefore, it’s rules. It is not above law.”

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Azerbaijan 'determined' to fight until Armenian troops leave Karabakh

Azerbaijan on Wednesday vowed to pursue military action against Armenian separatists in the breakaway Nagorny Karabakh region until a full Armenian withdrawal from the disputed territory.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The long-simmering conflict erupted on Sunday with both sides blaming each other for the outbreak of violence.

“We only have one condition: Armenian armed forces must unconditionally, fully, and immediately leave our lands,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in televised remarks.

If “the Armenian government fulfils the demand, fighting and bloodshed will end, and peace will be established in the region,” he added.

Earlier today, Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said in a statement that Baku was “resolutely determined to continue the counter-offensive operation until its sovereignty and territorial integrity is fully restored [...] (and) we clearly see the Armenian troops leaving the territory of Azerbaijan”.

On Wednesday, Armenia and Azerbaijan rejected international calls for a halt to fighting and negotiations.

Nearly 100 people are confirmed to have died in the flare-up and both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on opposing forces.

Meanwhile, France’s president voiced solidarity with Armenia amid its conflict with Azerbaijan over Armenian-occupied Upper Karabakh.

Claiming that it was Azerbaijan last weekend that started the conflict, Emmanuel Macron called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to end the conflict unconditionally, adding that he had discussed this issue with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“I wanted these attacks to end. I explicitly condemned these disproportionate attacks,” he said in a news conference during a visit to Latvia.

“Something has been happening since July,” he added, evidently referring to the killing of three Azerbaijani soldiers and the wounding of four others when Armenia launched a border attack on July 12.

“It was determined that the attacks on Sunday came from Azerbaijan,” claimed Macron, adding: “Both sides must comply with the cease-fire.”

Border clashes broke out early on Sunday when Armenian forces in Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh reportedly targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, leading to multiple casualties.

He said he would also discuss the issue with United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I have noticed the political statements made by Turkey [in favour of Azerbaijan], which I find to be inconsiderate and risky,” said Macron, a frequent critic of Turkey.

“France is concerned by the warlike messages from Turkey which is in favour of Azerbaijan’s reconquering Nagorno-Karabakh. And that we won’t accept it,” he added, not mentioning that the region is internationally recognised as belonging to Azerbaijan.

Macron said that Armenia's sovereignty and people should be respected, urging against any statements that would raise tensions.

International pressure for a ceasefire has mounted as fears grow that the conflict could escalate into all-out war.

Karabakh's declaration of independence from Azerbaijan sparked a war in the early 1990s that claimed 30,000 lives, but it is still not recognised as independent by any country, including Armenia.

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Joe Biden's use of 'Inshallah' to mock Trump raises eyebrows

Former US Vice President and Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden on Tuesday night took on incumbent President Donald Trump in the first debate and used the word “Inshallah”.

Apart from its original meaning of 'If God wills it', the phrase 'Inshallah' is also often used sarcastically by Muslims when they are talking about something that is unlikely to happen.

A video going around on social media of the debates showed President Donald Trump saying that he will soon release his tax returns filed with US authorities, when Joe Biden interjected with "Inshallah".

Okay, for those of you wondering - did Joe Biden really drop an “inshallah” with the appropriate sarcastic usage?

Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign - that is indeed what the man said. https://t.co/MqseBsl2Ck

— Asma Khalid (@asmamk) September 30, 2020

“You will get to see it [tax return] and you will get to see it,” said the US president, when Joe Biden interjected saying: “When?…Inshallah”

Hours later, Asma Khalid, a correspondent for the US-based National Public Radio, said she contacted Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and they confirmed that he did say “Inshallah”.

Khalid also said that Biden’s team also confirmed to her that Biden did use “Inshallah” as an “appropriate sarcastic” remark.

“Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign - that is indeed what the man said,” tweeted Khalid.

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Azerbaijan 'determined' to fight until Armenian troops leave Karabakh

Azerbaijan on Wednesday vowed to pursue military action against Armenian separatists in the breakaway Nagorny Karabakh region until a full Armenian withdrawal from the disputed territory.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The long-simmering conflict erupted on Sunday with both sides blaming each other for the outbreak of violence.

“We only have one condition: Armenian armed forces must unconditionally, fully, and immediately leave our lands,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in televised remarks.

If “the Armenian government fulfils the demand, fighting and bloodshed will end, and peace will be established in the region,” he added.

Earlier today, Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said in a statement that Baku was “resolutely determined to continue the counter-offensive operation until its sovereignty and territorial integrity is fully restored [...] (and) we clearly see the Armenian troops leaving the territory of Azerbaijan”.

On Wednesday, Armenia and Azerbaijan rejected international calls for a halt to fighting and negotiations.

Nearly 100 people are confirmed to have died in the flare-up and both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on opposing forces.

Meanwhile, France’s president voiced solidarity with Armenia amid its conflict with Azerbaijan over Armenian-occupied Upper Karabakh.

Claiming that it was Azerbaijan last weekend that started the conflict, Emmanuel Macron called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to end the conflict unconditionally, adding that he had discussed this issue with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“I wanted these attacks to end. I explicitly condemned these disproportionate attacks,” he said in a news conference during a visit to Latvia.

“Something has been happening since July,” he added, evidently referring to the killing of three Azerbaijani soldiers and the wounding of four others when Armenia launched a border attack on July 12.

“It was determined that the attacks on Sunday came from Azerbaijan,” claimed Macron, adding: “Both sides must comply with the cease-fire.”

Border clashes broke out early on Sunday when Armenian forces in Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh reportedly targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, leading to multiple casualties.

He said he would also discuss the issue with United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I have noticed the political statements made by Turkey [in favour of Azerbaijan], which I find to be inconsiderate and risky,” said Macron, a frequent critic of Turkey.

“France is concerned by the warlike messages from Turkey which is in favour of Azerbaijan’s reconquering Nagorno-Karabakh. And that we won’t accept it,” he added, not mentioning that the region is internationally recognised as belonging to Azerbaijan.

Macron said that Armenia's sovereignty and people should be respected, urging against any statements that would raise tensions.

International pressure for a ceasefire has mounted as fears grow that the conflict could escalate into all-out war.

Karabakh's declaration of independence from Azerbaijan sparked a war in the early 1990s that claimed 30,000 lives, but it is still not recognised as independent by any country, including Armenia.

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Joe Biden's use of 'Inshallah' to mock Trump raises eyebrows

Former US Vice President and Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden on Tuesday night took on incumbent President Donald Trump in the first debate and used the word “Inshallah”.

Apart from its original meaning of 'If God wills it', the phrase 'Inshallah' is also often used sarcastically by Muslims when they are talking about something that is unlikely to happen.

A video going around on social media of the debates showed President Donald Trump saying that he will soon release his tax returns filed with US authorities, when Joe Biden interjected with "Inshallah".

Okay, for those of you wondering - did Joe Biden really drop an “inshallah” with the appropriate sarcastic usage?

Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign - that is indeed what the man said. https://t.co/MqseBsl2Ck

— Asma Khalid (@asmamk) September 30, 2020

“You will get to see it [tax return] and you will get to see it,” said the US president, when Joe Biden interjected saying: “When?…Inshallah”

Hours later, Asma Khalid, a correspondent for the US-based National Public Radio, said she contacted Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and they confirmed that he did say “Inshallah”.

Khalid also said that Biden’s team also confirmed to her that Biden did use “Inshallah” as an “appropriate sarcastic” remark.

“Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign - that is indeed what the man said,” tweeted Khalid.

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Sindh govt announces public holiday on Oct 2

The Sindh government on Wednesday announced a public holiday on Friday, October 2.

The holiday has been announced in connection with the urs (death anniversary) of Sindh's most popular Sufi saint, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.

The urs begins every year on 14th Safar (2nd month of Hijra calendar) and lasts for three days.

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Nawaz Sharif's exit from Pakistan a 'mockery of entire system': IHC

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's exit from Pakistan is a "mockery of the system", said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench on Wednesday.

The court passed the remarks after Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar presented a compliance report on Nawaz Sharif's arrest warrants issued by the high court.

The report was submitted to the two-member bench, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Aamer Farooq, hearing the petition filed by the former prime minister against his sentence in the Avenfield apartments.

Khokhar, while briefing the court on the attempts made to arrest Nawaz Sharif, said that Rao Abdul Hanan, an officer of the Pakistani High Commission, had visited the residence of the PML-N chief in London. He added that Eddie, the person at the apartment, "refused" to receive the arrest warrant.

“Every effort was made to enforce Nawaz Sharif's arrest warrant,” the government's lawyer told the court. He also read Hanan's statements regarding the arrest warrant.

After Khokhar’s explanation, Additional Prosecutor General of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Jahanzaib Bharwana informed the court that they were aware of the attempts made to arrest Nawaz Sharif.

Khokhar then told the court that the Pakistani mission in London also contacted the commonwealth office, via telephone, over the warrant. He added that the commonwealth office informed them that it was not in their jurisdiction to implement the IHC's order.

“This means that they [commonwealth office] are not ready to assist us,” observed the court. It added that the court has to be satisfied with evidence that it did its best to comply with the warrants.

“The purpose of all this exercise is so that when the accused comes tomorrow he does not say that he did not know [about the warrants],” remarked Justice Kayani. He then added that the accused knew that he had defeated the system to leave the country.

“He [Nawaz Sharif] must be sitting there laughing at Pakistan's system. It's a shame,” observed Justice Kayani. He added that the court will issue a verdict on the matter.

The court also observed that the federal government should also take care “from now on” who it can allow to leave the country. It also remarked that the time spent on delivering an arrest warrant to an accused could have been spent on providing relief to other litigants.

“The court, the government, the Foreign Office and the high commission are jointly executing a single warrant,” observed the court.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till October 7 as the IHC ordered that the statement of the high commission’s counsellor, Rao Abdul Hanan, will be recorded in the next proceedings via a video link.

Earlier this month, the IHC had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif during a hearing over the former prime minister's petition requesting exemption from appearing before the court.

In the brief ruling, IHC's Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani remarked that the PML-N supremo neither underwent a surgery despite citing it as a reason behind obtaining bail to travel to the United Kingdom nor was he admitted to a hospital.

"Our bail order has expired, which has its own effects," the judge said during a hearing at the IHC over a petition to cancel Nawaz's bail in the Avenfield properties reference.

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Sindh govt announces public holiday on Oct 2

The Sindh government on Wednesday announced a public holiday on Friday, October 2.

The holiday has been announced in connection with the urs (death anniversary) of Sindh's most popular Sufi saint, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.

The urs begins every year on 14th Safar (2nd month of Hijra calendar) and lasts for three days.

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Nawaz Sharif's exit from Pakistan a 'mockery of entire system': IHC

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's exit from Pakistan is a "mockery of the system", said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench on Wednesday.

The court passed the remarks after Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar presented a compliance report on Nawaz Sharif's arrest warrants issued by the high court.

The report was submitted to the two-member bench, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Aamer Farooq, hearing the petition filed by the former prime minister against his sentence in the Avenfield apartments.

Khokhar, while briefing the court on the attempts made to arrest Nawaz Sharif, said that Rao Abdul Hanan, an officer of the Pakistani High Commission, had visited the residence of the PML-N chief in London. He added that Eddie, the person at the apartment, "refused" to receive the arrest warrant.

“Every effort was made to enforce Nawaz Sharif's arrest warrant,” the government's lawyer told the court. He also read Hanan's statements regarding the arrest warrant.

After Khokhar’s explanation, Additional Prosecutor General of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Jahanzaib Bharwana informed the court that they were aware of the attempts made to arrest Nawaz Sharif.

Khokhar then told the court that the Pakistani mission in London also contacted the commonwealth office, via telephone, over the warrant. He added that the commonwealth office informed them that it was not in their jurisdiction to implement the IHC's order.

“This means that they [commonwealth office] are not ready to assist us,” observed the court. It added that the court has to be satisfied with evidence that it did its best to comply with the warrants.

“The purpose of all this exercise is so that when the accused comes tomorrow he does not say that he did not know [about the warrants],” remarked Justice Kayani. He then added that the accused knew that he had defeated the system to leave the country.

“He [Nawaz Sharif] must be sitting there laughing at Pakistan's system. It's a shame,” observed Justice Kayani. He added that the court will issue a verdict on the matter.

The court also observed that the federal government should also take care “from now on” who it can allow to leave the country. It also remarked that the time spent on delivering an arrest warrant to an accused could have been spent on providing relief to other litigants.

“The court, the government, the Foreign Office and the high commission are jointly executing a single warrant,” observed the court.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till October 7 as the IHC ordered that the statement of the high commission’s counsellor, Rao Abdul Hanan, will be recorded in the next proceedings via a video link.

Earlier this month, the IHC had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif during a hearing over the former prime minister's petition requesting exemption from appearing before the court.

In the brief ruling, IHC's Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani remarked that the PML-N supremo neither underwent a surgery despite citing it as a reason behind obtaining bail to travel to the United Kingdom nor was he admitted to a hospital.

"Our bail order has expired, which has its own effects," the judge said during a hearing at the IHC over a petition to cancel Nawaz's bail in the Avenfield properties reference.

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Govt to establish national emergency helpline to curb untoward incidents

The federal government has decided to establish a national emergency helpline to immediately respond to people in all parts of the country who are facing an uncertain situation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has given an important task to PM Performance Delivery Unit (PMDU) for establishing a national emergency helpline to end untoward incidents like motorway gang-rape case.

PMDU has been directed to establish a separate system on modern lines within two months for immediately responding to the complaints to the citizens across the country if they are facing an emergency situation.

Citizens will be given a toll-free number to register complaints about facing emergency situation while the helpline will be interconnected with the new system, stated Prime Minister Office (PMO).

The unit will also take assistance from cellular companies besides consulting all provinces for legislation purpose in order to make the system more effective and stable to curb any untoward incident in future.

On September 9, the woman along with her children was waiting for help on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after her car ran out of fuel when she was forcefully brought out of the car at gunpoint and gang-raped in Gujjarpura area on the outskirts of the provincial.

After 20 days of the gang-rape, the victim had reportedly agreed yesterday to identify Shafqat Ali, in the identification parade and record her statement via phone under section 161.

On the other hand, Punjab police failed to nab main suspect Abid Malhi so far despite the passage of over 20 days. Police sources said that the accused is still hiding in the limits of Punjab province.

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Govt to establish national emergency helpline to curb untoward incidents

The federal government has decided to establish a national emergency helpline to immediately respond to people in all parts of the country who are facing an uncertain situation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has given an important task to PM Performance Delivery Unit (PMDU) for establishing a national emergency helpline to end untoward incidents like motorway gang-rape case.

PMDU has been directed to establish a separate system on modern lines within two months for immediately responding to the complaints to the citizens across the country if they are facing an emergency situation.

Citizens will be given a toll-free number to register complaints about facing emergency situation while the helpline will be interconnected with the new system, stated Prime Minister Office (PMO).

The unit will also take assistance from cellular companies besides consulting all provinces for legislation purpose in order to make the system more effective and stable to curb any untoward incident in future.

On September 9, the woman along with her children was waiting for help on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after her car ran out of fuel when she was forcefully brought out of the car at gunpoint and gang-raped in Gujjarpura area on the outskirts of the provincial.

After 20 days of the gang-rape, the victim had reportedly agreed yesterday to identify Shafqat Ali, in the identification parade and record her statement via phone under section 161.

On the other hand, Punjab police failed to nab main suspect Abid Malhi so far despite the passage of over 20 days. Police sources said that the accused is still hiding in the limits of Punjab province.

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Diesel price cut by Rs2.40 per litre, petrol rate to remain unchanged

The government on Wednesday decided to cut the price of high-speed diesel by Rs2.40 per litre and keep that of petrol unchanged for a period of fifteen days with effect from October 1.

The prices of other petroleum products will also remain unchanged for the next 15 days.

Earlier, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) put forth a proposal to reduce the prices of petroleum products by up to Rs2 per litre for the month of October.

According to sources, OGRA recommended Rs2 per litre cut in the price of petrol and diesel following the decrease in fuel prices in the international market. The summary for the revision of fuel prices for the month of October was sent to the Ministry of Petroleum for approval.

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PTI asks Firdous Shamim Naqvi to tender resignation

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has sought resignation from its provincial lawmaker and Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi, citing sources.

Sources privy to the  that Firdous Shamim Naqvi failed to perform well as the Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly, whereas, his controversial statements also created issues for the political party.

Moreover, some members of provincial assembly (MPAs) raised complaints against Firdous Shamim Naqvi for the harsh attitude towards them. Sources said that Prime Minister Imran Khan seeks resignation from Naqvi.
It emerged that the opposition leader started contacting lawmakers of his political party to appease them.

Earlier in July, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Discipline of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had taken strict action against one of its lawmakers, MPA Uzma Kardar, and ordered her to resign as the provincial legislator in the Punjab Assembly.

The appeal submitted by PTI MPA Uzma Kardar over a controversial audio leak had been rejected by the party’s accountability and discipline committee.

The political party had ended basic member of Kardar over violation of the party discipline and directed to immediately resign from her position as the provincial lawmaker.

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PTI asks Firdous Shamim Naqvi to tender resignation

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has sought resignation from its provincial lawmaker and Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi, citing sources.

Sources privy to the  that Firdous Shamim Naqvi failed to perform well as the Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly, whereas, his controversial statements also created issues for the political party.

Moreover, some members of provincial assembly (MPAs) raised complaints against Firdous Shamim Naqvi for the harsh attitude towards them. Sources said that Prime Minister Imran Khan seeks resignation from Naqvi.
It emerged that the opposition leader started contacting lawmakers of his political party to appease them.

Earlier in July, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Discipline of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had taken strict action against one of its lawmakers, MPA Uzma Kardar, and ordered her to resign as the provincial legislator in the Punjab Assembly.

The appeal submitted by PTI MPA Uzma Kardar over a controversial audio leak had been rejected by the party’s accountability and discipline committee.

The political party had ended basic member of Kardar over violation of the party discipline and directed to immediately resign from her position as the provincial lawmaker.

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747 more people test positive for coronavirus in 24 hours

As many as 747 new cases of the coronavirus surfaced in Pakistan during the previous 24 hours, pushing the number of infections in the country to 312,263.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Covid-19, tests of 32,031 people were conducted during this period, out of which 747 turned out to be positive.

The pandemic claimed lives of five more people during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to 6,479. 296,881 patients have so far recovered from the disease. There are now 8,903 active cases in the country.

The global death toll from the new coronavirus, which emerged less than a year ago in China and has swept across the world, passed one million this week. The pandemic has ravaged the global economy, inflamed geopolitical tensions and upended lives, from Indian slums and Brazil s jungles to America s biggest city New York.

World sports, live entertainment and international travel ground to a halt as fans, audiences and tourists were forced to stay at home, kept inside by strict measures imposed to curb the virus spread.

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ECC to mull over sale price of natural gas today

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet will discuss six-point agenda in its meeting on Wednesday.

The ECC meeting chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh will likely to discuss the sale price of the natural gas.

According to sources, a summary of the OGRA on sale price of the natural gas will come under consideration in the meeting today.

The ECC will consider over the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) recommendations with regard to the sale price of natural gas to the gas companies.

The meeting will also consider over cut in commission charges of the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) over the import of wheat and sugar, sources said.

The ECC session will also mull over converting the National Highway Authority (NHA) loans into government grants, according to sources.

A summary about Rs. 80 billion credit facility to the Power Division would likely to be discussed in the ECC meeting, sources said.

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747 more people test positive for coronavirus in 24 hours

As many as 747 new cases of the coronavirus surfaced in Pakistan during the previous 24 hours, pushing the number of infections in the country to 312,263.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Covid-19, tests of 32,031 people were conducted during this period, out of which 747 turned out to be positive.

The pandemic claimed lives of five more people during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to 6,479. 296,881 patients have so far recovered from the disease. There are now 8,903 active cases in the country.

The global death toll from the new coronavirus, which emerged less than a year ago in China and has swept across the world, passed one million this week. The pandemic has ravaged the global economy, inflamed geopolitical tensions and upended lives, from Indian slums and Brazil s jungles to America s biggest city New York.

World sports, live entertainment and international travel ground to a halt as fans, audiences and tourists were forced to stay at home, kept inside by strict measures imposed to curb the virus spread.

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PM Imran Khan calls for one-year extension in G20 debt relief in address to UN summit

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday reminded the international community of the crucial need for developing countries to be provided debt relief in the backdrop of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which has hit developing economies hard.

He called upon the G20 countries in particular to extend the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) for another year.

"The request for forbearance under this initiative should not affect the country's credit rating. This is due to force majeure, not mismanagement," the prime minister underscored, while addressing the Financing for Development High-Level Summit on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

"We must break the shackles of poverty and inequality," the prime minister stressed.

The prime minister, speaking of Pakistan's fight against the virus, said that despite the country's financial constraints "we have injected over $8bn, [nearly] 3% of our GDP to protect our poor and keep the economy going".

"Debt relief is one of the quickest ways to create fiscal space for developing countries. Therefore, in April, I called for a global initiative on debt relief," said the prime minister.

He said that subsequently, Pakistan initiated discussions on this matter at the United Nations and co-led the discussion group on debt vulnerability.

"I welcome the extensive menu of options by each of the six discussion groups. We must prioritise those actions that can have a significant impact and can be quickly implemented," the premier said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that multi-national development banks should participate in debt suspension initiatives.

He also called for other short measures which could cover both official and private creditors, including:

The prime minister said that investment in "sustainable infrastructure will be key to economic recovery and realisation of SDGs".

He recommended the creation of a UN infrastructure investment facility "to mobilise an additional $1.5 trillion annually for the developing countries".

The premier, citing findings by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said that the developing countries would require "an additional $2.5tr to recover from COVID-induced contraction".

He urged the rich countries to support the creation of "at least $500 billion in special drawing rights and relocation of unutilised SDRs (special drawing rights)".

Prime Minister Imran Khan, before concluding, underscored that recovery from recession in a post-pandemic world "must be inclusive and equitable".

 

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Opposition to hold first 'historic' rally under PDM banner on Oct 11 in Quetta

The first public meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — an alliance of almost all major opposition parties that seeks the government's ouster — will be held on October 11 in Quetta, opposition leaders announced on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference after PDM's first formal meeting in Islamabad, PML-N leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the anti-government movement will be launched across the country after the "historic" rally in Quetta.

"This movement will keep growing and will be successful in ridding Pakistan of this undemocratic process," said Abbasi, accompanied by other opposition leaders. PML-N's Maryam Nawaz and PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari did not attend the meeting.

 

Abbasi said the meeting strongly condemned the "shrinking" space for democracy in the country and discussed rising inflation, unemployement, "historic corruption", the state of the economy and people's issues.

The meeting also gave approval to PDM's steering committee, which Abbasi said will play its role "in taking the PDM movement forward".

He said the steering committee, which will comprise two members from each party, held its first meeting today as well and an "organisational structure" will be sent to the opposition parties' leaders following which the movement will be presented before the people.

"You will see that this movement will give rise to a true political change in Pakistan's political history," Abbasi said, adding that all opposition parties had consensus on the decisions taken today.

He said the movement's future strategy will be decided in the second meeting of the steering committee next Monday.

The steering committee's convenership will be changed on a rotational basis, with PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal to serve as its convener for the first month.

The PDM huddle comes a day after PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in an assets beyond means and money laundering case.

Referring to the arrest, former premier and PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf said the meeting resolved that "such tactics will weaken democracy and the anger and grievances of Pakistanis will rise."

Questioning the need to arrest Shehbaz after a reference against him had been filed, Pervez said the "government-NAB nexus" became apparent after government ministers predicted on television the arrests of various opposition leaders.

Ashraf said the Oct 11 rally will be followed by "a series of public meetings" in all provinces.

The meeting was expected to review the situation after Shehbaz’s detention and possible arrest of other leaders, the PTI government’s alleged plan to rig Gilgit-Baltistan and local bodies polls and give a final shape to the decisions taken at the opposition's September 20 multi-party conference (MPC).

The PDM was formed at the MPC, where opposition parties had announced launching of a three-phased anti-government movement under an “action plan” starting from next month with countrywide public meetings, protest demonstrations and rallies in December and a “decisive long march” towards Islamabad in January 2021.

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Maulana Tahir Ashrafi appointed Special Representative to PM on Religious Harmony

Maulana Tahir Ashrafi has been appointed as the special assistant to the prime minister on religious harmony, said a notification from the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday.

"The Prime Minister has been pleased to appoint Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi as Special Representative of the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony, with immediate effect," read the notification.

"The appointment of Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi shall be in honorary capacity."

Maulana Tahir Ashrafi is the chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) and the Muttahida Ulema Board.

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PM Imran Khan calls for one-year extension in G20 debt relief in address to UN summit

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday reminded the international community of the crucial need for developing countries to be provided debt relief in the backdrop of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which has hit developing economies hard.

He called upon the G20 countries in particular to extend the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) for another year.

"The request for forbearance under this initiative should not affect the country's credit rating. This is due to force majeure, not mismanagement," the prime minister underscored, while addressing the Financing for Development High-Level Summit on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

"We must break the shackles of poverty and inequality," the prime minister stressed.

The prime minister, speaking of Pakistan's fight against the virus, said that despite the country's financial constraints "we have injected over $8bn, [nearly] 3% of our GDP to protect our poor and keep the economy going".

"Debt relief is one of the quickest ways to create fiscal space for developing countries. Therefore, in April, I called for a global initiative on debt relief," said the prime minister.

He said that subsequently, Pakistan initiated discussions on this matter at the United Nations and co-led the discussion group on debt vulnerability.

"I welcome the extensive menu of options by each of the six discussion groups. We must prioritise those actions that can have a significant impact and can be quickly implemented," the premier said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that multi-national development banks should participate in debt suspension initiatives.

He also called for other short measures which could cover both official and private creditors, including:

The prime minister said that investment in "sustainable infrastructure will be key to economic recovery and realisation of SDGs".

He recommended the creation of a UN infrastructure investment facility "to mobilise an additional $1.5 trillion annually for the developing countries".

The premier, citing findings by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said that the developing countries would require "an additional $2.5tr to recover from COVID-induced contraction".

He urged the rich countries to support the creation of "at least $500 billion in special drawing rights and relocation of unutilised SDRs (special drawing rights)".

Prime Minister Imran Khan, before concluding, underscored that recovery from recession in a post-pandemic world "must be inclusive and equitable".

 

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Opposition to hold first 'historic' rally under PDM banner on Oct 11 in Quetta

The first public meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — an alliance of almost all major opposition parties that seeks the government's ouster — will be held on October 11 in Quetta, opposition leaders announced on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference after PDM's first formal meeting in Islamabad, PML-N leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the anti-government movement will be launched across the country after the "historic" rally in Quetta.

"This movement will keep growing and will be successful in ridding Pakistan of this undemocratic process," said Abbasi, accompanied by other opposition leaders. PML-N's Maryam Nawaz and PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari did not attend the meeting.

 

Abbasi said the meeting strongly condemned the "shrinking" space for democracy in the country and discussed rising inflation, unemployement, "historic corruption", the state of the economy and people's issues.

The meeting also gave approval to PDM's steering committee, which Abbasi said will play its role "in taking the PDM movement forward".

He said the steering committee, which will comprise two members from each party, held its first meeting today as well and an "organisational structure" will be sent to the opposition parties' leaders following which the movement will be presented before the people.

"You will see that this movement will give rise to a true political change in Pakistan's political history," Abbasi said, adding that all opposition parties had consensus on the decisions taken today.

He said the movement's future strategy will be decided in the second meeting of the steering committee next Monday.

The steering committee's convenership will be changed on a rotational basis, with PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal to serve as its convener for the first month.

The PDM huddle comes a day after PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in an assets beyond means and money laundering case.

Referring to the arrest, former premier and PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf said the meeting resolved that "such tactics will weaken democracy and the anger and grievances of Pakistanis will rise."

Questioning the need to arrest Shehbaz after a reference against him had been filed, Pervez said the "government-NAB nexus" became apparent after government ministers predicted on television the arrests of various opposition leaders.

Ashraf said the Oct 11 rally will be followed by "a series of public meetings" in all provinces.

The meeting was expected to review the situation after Shehbaz’s detention and possible arrest of other leaders, the PTI government’s alleged plan to rig Gilgit-Baltistan and local bodies polls and give a final shape to the decisions taken at the opposition's September 20 multi-party conference (MPC).

The PDM was formed at the MPC, where opposition parties had announced launching of a three-phased anti-government movement under an “action plan” starting from next month with countrywide public meetings, protest demonstrations and rallies in December and a “decisive long march” towards Islamabad in January 2021.

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Turkey indicts six more Saudis over Khashoggi murder

Turkish prosecutors have indicted six new Saudis suspected of involvement in the 2018 murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, local media reported on Monday.

Istanbul prosecutors are seeking life imprisonment for two of the suspects and up to five years in jail for the remaining four, the official Anadolu news agency reported.

The Washington Post contributor, Khashoggi, 59, was killed and dismembered at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, in a case that tarnished the reputation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Khashoggi went inside the consulate to obtain paperwork for his marriage to Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz.

The six Saudi suspects, indicted just days ahead of the second anniversary of the journalist’s death, are not in Turkey and should be tried in absentia, according to local reports.

In a separate case launched in July, an Istanbul court began to try in absentia 20 other Saudis over the murder, including two former aides to the Saudi prince.

Turkish prosecutors claim Saudi deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri and the royal court’s media czar Saud al-Qahtani led the operation and gave orders to a Saudi hit team.

Khashoggi was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad inside the consulate, according to Turkish officials. His remains have not been found.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the order to murder Khashoggi came from “the highest levels” of the Saudi government but has never directly blamed Prince Mohammed.

In September, a Saudi court overturned five death sentences issued after a closed-door trial in Saudi Arabia that ended last year, sentencing them to 20 years in prison instead.Twenty Saudi nationals are already on trial in an Istanbul court for Khashoggi’s killing. CNN Turk said the indictment against the six suspects, including two consulate workers and four other Saudi nationals, was sent to the court to be combined with the main case.

Two of the suspects, a vice consul and an attache, were facing life jail sentences for premeditated murder with monstrous intent, the broadcaster said.

The four others, who CNN Turk said had arrived in Istanbul on Oct 10-11, 2018, more than a week after the killing, were charged with destroying, concealing or tampering with evidence, which carries a sentence of up to five years in jail.

The Istanbul prosecutor’s office did not immediately provide comment on the media reports.

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Trump on defensive as tax report makes bombshell revelations ahead of debate

After a bolt-from-the-blue tax revelation report, President Donald Trump took a defensive mode on the evening of his first televised debate against Joe Biden on Monday.

The recent tax bombshell showed he has been avoiding paying almost any federal income tax for years.

The scoop from The New York Times, reporting that Trump paid only $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017, and none at all for 10 of the previous 15 years, was a shot to the jugular of the self-described billionaire.

Trump, who portrays himself as a hard-nosed businessman on a mission to drain the Washington swamp, dismissed the Times story – which the newspaper says is based on examination of his long-secret tax returns.

"The Fake News Media, just like Election time 2016, is bringing up my Taxes & all sorts of other nonsense with illegally obtained information," he tweeted Monday.

But with several new polls on Sunday once again suggesting Biden has the upper hand, the Republican goes into the debate in Cleveland on Tuesday ever more on the defensive.

A Washington Post/ABC News poll put Biden 10 points ahead of Trump nationally, at 53 to 43% support among registered voters, while an NBC News-Marist poll gave the Democrat a similar lead of 54 to 44 in key swing state Wisconsin – which Trump had carried in 2016.

Trump's Democratic challenger is homing in on the president´s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his controversial rush to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the late liberal justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

But the tax report threatens the core of Trump's political identity – that vaunted ability to connect with blue-collar voters.

Though its impact on voters was still unclear, the Times report hands Biden piles of new ammunition.

And the Democrat's campaign immediately opened fire with an ad comparing typical income tax payments by ordinary Americans, such as $10,216 for nurses, to that reportedly paid by Trump the year he took office: $750.

Billionaire or bust?

The Times story raises new doubts about whether Trump is really the man with the Midas touch as he claims, or a hapless spendthrift owing a lot of people money.

He is the first president in years not to make his tax returns public, claiming he can´t because he is under audit.

In his trademark brash style, he also once boasted that getting out of taxes "makes me smart."

On Monday, he tweeted: "I paid many millions of dollars in taxes but was entitled, like everyone else, to depreciation & tax credits."

But according to the Times, Trump´s tax returns show he managed large-scale tax avoidance partly because his supposedly successful businesses – particularly the golf courses – are such money losers.

The Times said that Trump benefited from a $72.9 million tax refund now subject to an official audit. He also reportedly took tax deductions on residences, aircraft, and $70,000 in hairstyling for television appearances.

And in a detail that raises the issue of potentially serious conflicts of interest, the Times said that loans and debts of $421 million personally guaranteed by Trump are largely due for repayment in what would be his second term.

A former Democratic presidential candidate, billionaire Tom Steyer, tweeted that in 2017 he paid $32 million in federal taxes. Trump is "a cheat, and he stinks at business. In November he´s going from the White House to the outhouse," he wrote.

Drug test demand

Even without the fresh fuel of the tax story, Tuesday´s Trump-Biden debate was destined to be a brutal affair.

Trump is intensifying the longtime smearing of his rival´s mental state. One of his new catchphrases is that Biden "doesn´t know he´s alive."

And as the debate nears, Trump has said they should both take a drug test.

"Joe Biden just announced that he will not agree to a Drug Test. Gee, I wonder why?" Trump tweeted Monday.

When asked by reporters about the demand over the weekend, Biden laughed before declining to comment.

Trump on Monday tried to strengthen his claims that the government has responded strongly to the Covid-19 crisis, announcing the distribution of 150 million rapid tests that are able to deliver a result in 15 minutes.

Over 205,000 people in America have died from the virus, by far the highest death toll in the world.

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Turkey indicts six more Saudis over Khashoggi murder

Turkish prosecutors have indicted six new Saudis suspected of involvement in the 2018 murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, local media reported on Monday.

Istanbul prosecutors are seeking life imprisonment for two of the suspects and up to five years in jail for the remaining four, the official Anadolu news agency reported.

The Washington Post contributor, Khashoggi, 59, was killed and dismembered at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, in a case that tarnished the reputation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Khashoggi went inside the consulate to obtain paperwork for his marriage to Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz.

The six Saudi suspects, indicted just days ahead of the second anniversary of the journalist’s death, are not in Turkey and should be tried in absentia, according to local reports.

In a separate case launched in July, an Istanbul court began to try in absentia 20 other Saudis over the murder, including two former aides to the Saudi prince.

Turkish prosecutors claim Saudi deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri and the royal court’s media czar Saud al-Qahtani led the operation and gave orders to a Saudi hit team.

Khashoggi was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad inside the consulate, according to Turkish officials. His remains have not been found.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the order to murder Khashoggi came from “the highest levels” of the Saudi government but has never directly blamed Prince Mohammed.

In September, a Saudi court overturned five death sentences issued after a closed-door trial in Saudi Arabia that ended last year, sentencing them to 20 years in prison instead.Twenty Saudi nationals are already on trial in an Istanbul court for Khashoggi’s killing. CNN Turk said the indictment against the six suspects, including two consulate workers and four other Saudi nationals, was sent to the court to be combined with the main case.

Two of the suspects, a vice consul and an attache, were facing life jail sentences for premeditated murder with monstrous intent, the broadcaster said.

The four others, who CNN Turk said had arrived in Istanbul on Oct 10-11, 2018, more than a week after the killing, were charged with destroying, concealing or tampering with evidence, which carries a sentence of up to five years in jail.

The Istanbul prosecutor’s office did not immediately provide comment on the media reports.

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Trump on defensive as tax report makes bombshell revelations ahead of debate

After a bolt-from-the-blue tax revelation report, President Donald Trump took a defensive mode on the evening of his first televised debate against Joe Biden on Monday.

The recent tax bombshell showed he has been avoiding paying almost any federal income tax for years.

The scoop from The New York Times, reporting that Trump paid only $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017, and none at all for 10 of the previous 15 years, was a shot to the jugular of the self-described billionaire.

Trump, who portrays himself as a hard-nosed businessman on a mission to drain the Washington swamp, dismissed the Times story – which the newspaper says is based on examination of his long-secret tax returns.

"The Fake News Media, just like Election time 2016, is bringing up my Taxes & all sorts of other nonsense with illegally obtained information," he tweeted Monday.

But with several new polls on Sunday once again suggesting Biden has the upper hand, the Republican goes into the debate in Cleveland on Tuesday ever more on the defensive.

A Washington Post/ABC News poll put Biden 10 points ahead of Trump nationally, at 53 to 43% support among registered voters, while an NBC News-Marist poll gave the Democrat a similar lead of 54 to 44 in key swing state Wisconsin – which Trump had carried in 2016.

Trump's Democratic challenger is homing in on the president´s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his controversial rush to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the late liberal justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

But the tax report threatens the core of Trump's political identity – that vaunted ability to connect with blue-collar voters.

Though its impact on voters was still unclear, the Times report hands Biden piles of new ammunition.

And the Democrat's campaign immediately opened fire with an ad comparing typical income tax payments by ordinary Americans, such as $10,216 for nurses, to that reportedly paid by Trump the year he took office: $750.

Billionaire or bust?

The Times story raises new doubts about whether Trump is really the man with the Midas touch as he claims, or a hapless spendthrift owing a lot of people money.

He is the first president in years not to make his tax returns public, claiming he can´t because he is under audit.

In his trademark brash style, he also once boasted that getting out of taxes "makes me smart."

On Monday, he tweeted: "I paid many millions of dollars in taxes but was entitled, like everyone else, to depreciation & tax credits."

But according to the Times, Trump´s tax returns show he managed large-scale tax avoidance partly because his supposedly successful businesses – particularly the golf courses – are such money losers.

The Times said that Trump benefited from a $72.9 million tax refund now subject to an official audit. He also reportedly took tax deductions on residences, aircraft, and $70,000 in hairstyling for television appearances.

And in a detail that raises the issue of potentially serious conflicts of interest, the Times said that loans and debts of $421 million personally guaranteed by Trump are largely due for repayment in what would be his second term.

A former Democratic presidential candidate, billionaire Tom Steyer, tweeted that in 2017 he paid $32 million in federal taxes. Trump is "a cheat, and he stinks at business. In November he´s going from the White House to the outhouse," he wrote.

Drug test demand

Even without the fresh fuel of the tax story, Tuesday´s Trump-Biden debate was destined to be a brutal affair.

Trump is intensifying the longtime smearing of his rival´s mental state. One of his new catchphrases is that Biden "doesn´t know he´s alive."

And as the debate nears, Trump has said they should both take a drug test.

"Joe Biden just announced that he will not agree to a Drug Test. Gee, I wonder why?" Trump tweeted Monday.

When asked by reporters about the demand over the weekend, Biden laughed before declining to comment.

Trump on Monday tried to strengthen his claims that the government has responded strongly to the Covid-19 crisis, announcing the distribution of 150 million rapid tests that are able to deliver a result in 15 minutes.

Over 205,000 people in America have died from the virus, by far the highest death toll in the world.

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