Shahbaz Sharif reacts to NCA probe, says govt failed to prove corruption allegations

Reacting to the UK court’s verdict about the unfreezing of his and his family's bank accounts, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) could not prove corruption of even a single penny against him and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Shehbaz Sharif said that the ruling PTI’s ministers have been levelling allegations of corruption worth billions of rupees but could not prove any wrongdoing against him and his family.

The PML-N president said that he was sent to jail twice during the last three years. He said that when the government failed to prove corruption against him and his children they approached the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA).

The NCA had conducted a probe in which it examined his financial transactions over the past 20 years and found no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against him, the PML-N leader said, adding that finally the UK agency has asked the court that they wanted to end investigations against him and the UK court approved the request.

“Will UK court let us go unpunished if we had committed corruption?” he asked.

Criticising the prime minister, the PML-N leader said, “NAB-Niazi nexus is a fixed match and FIA is working on the government’s directions.”

Shehbaz said that he lodged a defamation case against the Daily Mail and asked it provide evidence against him. But the Daily Mail is yet to submit evidence in the case. In order to fabricate a fake story, meetings of the reporter, David Rose, had been arranged with imprisoned people.

Those who are pretending themselves to be sadiq and ameen spent millions of rupees to defame him.

“Sideling the Sharif’s family is the only agenda of the PTI-led government,” the PML-N president said, adding that the rulers had only wasted the nation’s time.

PM Imran Khan and his supporters have been levelling fake allegations against him and his family for last over three years. He asked, “Has there been any doubt after the verdict of the UK court?

UK court unfreezes bank accounts of Shahbaz, his family

Earlier, on September 27, a UK court had ordered the unfreezing of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and his family's bank accounts for lack of evidence of corruption and money laundering.

The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) had unfroze the bank accounts of former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and those of his son, Suleman Sharif, on Monday.

The NCA had conducted a 17-month long probe in which it examined Shahbaz Sharif's financial transactions over the past 20 years. In it, no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against the PML-N president or his family were found.

The NCA had submitted the investigation report of the bank accounts at the Westminster court in which it said that Shahbaz and his son were not involved in money laundering practices in Pakistan, Dubai and the UK.

The NCA had requested the UK court for an extension when it first began probing the case, stating that it needed more time to complete the probe against Shahbaz in multiple countries.

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Shahbaz Sharif reacts to NCA probe, says govt failed to prove corruption allegations

Reacting to the UK court’s verdict about the unfreezing of his and his family's bank accounts, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) could not prove corruption of even a single penny against him and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Shehbaz Sharif said that the ruling PTI’s ministers have been levelling allegations of corruption worth billions of rupees but could not prove any wrongdoing against him and his family.

The PML-N president said that he was sent to jail twice during the last three years. He said that when the government failed to prove corruption against him and his children they approached the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA).

The NCA had conducted a probe in which it examined his financial transactions over the past 20 years and found no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against him, the PML-N leader said, adding that finally the UK agency has asked the court that they wanted to end investigations against him and the UK court approved the request.

“Will UK court let us go unpunished if we had committed corruption?” he asked.

Criticising the prime minister, the PML-N leader said, “NAB-Niazi nexus is a fixed match and FIA is working on the government’s directions.”

Shehbaz said that he lodged a defamation case against the Daily Mail and asked it provide evidence against him. But the Daily Mail is yet to submit evidence in the case. In order to fabricate a fake story, meetings of the reporter, David Rose, had been arranged with imprisoned people.

Those who are pretending themselves to be sadiq and ameen spent millions of rupees to defame him.

“Sideling the Sharif’s family is the only agenda of the PTI-led government,” the PML-N president said, adding that the rulers had only wasted the nation’s time.

PM Imran Khan and his supporters have been levelling fake allegations against him and his family for last over three years. He asked, “Has there been any doubt after the verdict of the UK court?

UK court unfreezes bank accounts of Shahbaz, his family

Earlier, on September 27, a UK court had ordered the unfreezing of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and his family's bank accounts for lack of evidence of corruption and money laundering.

The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) had unfroze the bank accounts of former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and those of his son, Suleman Sharif, on Monday.

The NCA had conducted a 17-month long probe in which it examined Shahbaz Sharif's financial transactions over the past 20 years. In it, no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against the PML-N president or his family were found.

The NCA had submitted the investigation report of the bank accounts at the Westminster court in which it said that Shahbaz and his son were not involved in money laundering practices in Pakistan, Dubai and the UK.

The NCA had requested the UK court for an extension when it first began probing the case, stating that it needed more time to complete the probe against Shahbaz in multiple countries.

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China’s power cuts may foreshadow shortages of global goods

Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet official energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark.

In the northeastern city of Liaoyang, 23 people were hospitalised with gas poisoning after ventilation in a metal casting factory was shut off following a power outage, according to state broadcaster CCTV. No deaths were reported.

Factories were idled to avoid exceeding limits on energy use imposed by Beijing to promote efficiency. Economists and an environmental group say manufacturers used up this year’s quota faster than planned as export demand rebounded from the coronavirus pandemic.

A components supplier for Apple Inc.’s iPhones said it suspended production at a factory west of Shanghai under orders from local authorities.

The disruption to China’s vast manufacturing industries during one of their busiest seasons reflects the ruling Communist Party’s struggle to balance economic growth with efforts to rein in pollution and emissions of climate-changing gases.

Beijing’s unprecedented resolve in enforcing energy consumption limits could result in long-term benefits, but the short-term economic costs are substantial, Nomura economists Ting Lu, Lisheng Wang and Jing Wang said in a report on Monday.

They said the impact might be so severe that they cut their economic growth forecast for China to 4.7pc from 5.1pc over a year earlier in the current quarter. They cut their outlook for annual growth to 7.7pc from 8.2pc.

Global financial markets already were on edge about the possible collapse of one of Chinas biggest real estate developers, Evergrande Group, which is struggling to avoid a default on billions of dollars of debt.

Manufacturers already face shortages of processor chips, disruptions in shipping and other lingering effects of the global shutdown of travel and trade to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Residents of China’s northeast, where autumn temperatures are falling, report power cuts and appealed on social media for the government to restore supplies.

The crunch comes as global leaders prepare to attend a UN environmental conference by video link on Oct 12-13 in the southwestern city of Kunming. That increases pressure on President Xi Jinping’s government, as the meeting’s host, to show it is sticking to emissions and energy efficiency targets.

China is one of the world’s biggest emitters of climate-changing industrial gases and consumes more energy per unit of economic output than developed countries.

The ruling party also is preparing for the Winter Olympics in the Chinese capital, Beijing, and the nearby city of Shijiazhuang in February, a period when it will want clear blue skies.

Scores of companies have announced power rationing could force them to delay filling orders and might hurt them financially.

Apple components supplier Eson Precision Engineering Co. Ltd. said Sunday it would halt production at its factory in Kunshan, west of Shanghai, through Thursday in line with the local governments power restriction policy.

Eson said the suspension shouldnt have a significant impact on operations.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a question about the possible impact on iPhone supplies.

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Selectors in limbo as players of World Cup squad fail to spark in National T20 Cup

The national selectors are faced with a conundrum. Some players picked for the Pakistan’s Twenty20 World Cup next month are not finding form at the National T20 Cup. But those who are being tipped to replace them in the UAE-bound squad haven’t been performing either.

The National T20 Cup, underway in Rawalpindi, had assumed greater importance in terms of Pakistan’s preparations for the World Cup, which begins from Oct 17, after New Zealand abandoned their tour earlier this month due to security concerns and England followed by calling off their tour next month.

But below-par performances from the likes of batters Azam Khan and Sohaib Maqsood, pacer Mohammad Hasnain and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz have given rise to rumours that the quartet could be replaced by Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Shah­­nawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir.

Opener Fakhar Zaman, who was named as a travelling reserve, is also being tipped to make the first-team squad.

And a Pakistan Cricket Board official did not attempt to play down the rumours.“Two changes can still be made to the World Cup squad.

The official reasoned that performances had to do with the pitches at the Pindi Stadium.

“The pitches were made for the One-day International matches against New Zealand and not for the T20 format,” the official said, with the National T20 having been shifted from Multan to Rawalpindi after New Zealand’s government had asked the team to leave Pakistan less than an hour before the start of the first of three ODI matches.

New Zealand were to play five Twenty20 Internationals at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium following the ODIs and the official was hopeful performances will pick up once the National T20 moves to Lahore from Oct 7.

“The pitches in Lahore will provide much more entertaining cricket,” said the official.

From Pakistan’s World Cup squad, only captain Babar Azam, wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan and pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi have shown good form in Rawalpindi.

With 135 runs in three matches Khyber Pakhtunkhwa skipper Rizwan is the leading scorer ahead of Babar (110) who is leading the Central Punjab team, while Rizwan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team-mate Shaheen is the leading wicket-taker with eight in three.

Sindh’s Hasnain, who has given away 80 runs while picking up four wickets in two matches, isn’t the only bowler in the World Cup squad who has been struggling.

Mohammad Wasim of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also picked up only four wickets from three matches while giving away 88 runs but his form with the bat is impressive as he is averaging 45.

Hasan Ali has picked up three wickets in three matches while Imad Wasim and Nawaz have two from two. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan, the captain of the Northern team, is yet to pick up a wicket after two matches.

Haris Rauf, though, has shown a bit of good form, picking four wickets for 46 runs in two matches.

As far as the batters are concerned, Azam has just 35 runs from three matches while Southern Punjab captain Sohaib, who was the player of the tournament at the last Pakistan Super League, has just 42 runs from three matches.

The two players whose inclusion in the World Cup squad saw chief selector Mohammad Wasim come under fire, Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah, have also had poor returns. Khushdil has 51 runs from three outings while Asif has 53 from two.

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FIA asked to investigate who made money from construction of roads: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been tasked with investigating which individuals had siphoned funds from road construction projects in the country.

Addressing a groundbreaking ceremony in Islamabad for the rehabilitation and upgradation of Balochistan's Jhaljao-Bela Road, the prime minister said the per kilometre cost for the project was cheaper than the cost in the PML-N's tenure despite inflation since then.

"I am thinking if we had made roads at the same rate as today, how much money we would have saved for more roads. This is the loss to the nation that when corrupt people come [in power], they actually steal the nation's wealth.

"I have tasked my team to fully investigate money stolen on [construction of] roads [...] I have also given the FIA the mandate to investigate and bring before the nation who is responsible and who made so much money," the prime minister said.

He added that people should know how much they lose out on due to corruption.

Regarding the project itself, the premier said it was very necessary for Balochistan. He said due to the vastness of Balochistan was, development could not be pursued there without first connecting the region.

He attributed a major reason for the lack of Balochistan's development to the approach of past governments.

"The government which [only] thinks of its five-year election will never develop Balochistan because in that [same] amount of money, it could spend on many places in central Punjab which have a high population and it thinks it is better for it to win the election."

The premier said if Balochistan was to be developed, it would have to be seen as an overall part of Pakistan and all areas of the country would have to be raised up similarly. "We can raise [them] when development is funnelled to those areas which have been left behind," he added.

He explained that raising neglected and backward areas up would not only benefit them but the entire country as well. "This thinking will only come when there is long-term planning in Pakistan [...] if you're just thinking about the election, then the country will never move forward," the prime minister said.

The premier also held the province's politicians responsible for the situation, saying they too thought about promoting development in their constituencies for the sake of electoral success instead of thinking about Balochistan.

Outlining his government's ideology, the prime minister said: "A country cannot become strong and move forward until there is equitable development which raises all [areas] of the country up. My government has tried since coming into power to help all those areas that have been left behind."

Scorecard

At the end of his tenure, the premier said he hoped to show a "scorecard", which would reflect that the federal and provincial governments had together achieved the kind of development in five years hitherto never done before in Balochistan's history.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Jhaljao-Bela Road project will "facilitate the movement of the people of Balochistan to other areas and increase their economic, social, industrial, commercial, agricultural, tourism and cultural activities."

It will also create around 3,000 job opportunities for locals, the statement added.

"Jhaljao-Bela Road is also of special importance for the development of trade relations with Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian states," the PMO said.

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FIA asked to investigate who made money from construction of roads: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been tasked with investigating which individuals had siphoned funds from road construction projects in the country.

Addressing a groundbreaking ceremony in Islamabad for the rehabilitation and upgradation of Balochistan's Jhaljao-Bela Road, the prime minister said the per kilometre cost for the project was cheaper than the cost in the PML-N's tenure despite inflation since then.

"I am thinking if we had made roads at the same rate as today, how much money we would have saved for more roads. This is the loss to the nation that when corrupt people come [in power], they actually steal the nation's wealth.

"I have tasked my team to fully investigate money stolen on [construction of] roads [...] I have also given the FIA the mandate to investigate and bring before the nation who is responsible and who made so much money," the prime minister said.

He added that people should know how much they lose out on due to corruption.

Regarding the project itself, the premier said it was very necessary for Balochistan. He said due to the vastness of Balochistan was, development could not be pursued there without first connecting the region.

He attributed a major reason for the lack of Balochistan's development to the approach of past governments.

"The government which [only] thinks of its five-year election will never develop Balochistan because in that [same] amount of money, it could spend on many places in central Punjab which have a high population and it thinks it is better for it to win the election."

The premier said if Balochistan was to be developed, it would have to be seen as an overall part of Pakistan and all areas of the country would have to be raised up similarly. "We can raise [them] when development is funnelled to those areas which have been left behind," he added.

He explained that raising neglected and backward areas up would not only benefit them but the entire country as well. "This thinking will only come when there is long-term planning in Pakistan [...] if you're just thinking about the election, then the country will never move forward," the prime minister said.

The premier also held the province's politicians responsible for the situation, saying they too thought about promoting development in their constituencies for the sake of electoral success instead of thinking about Balochistan.

Outlining his government's ideology, the prime minister said: "A country cannot become strong and move forward until there is equitable development which raises all [areas] of the country up. My government has tried since coming into power to help all those areas that have been left behind."

Scorecard

At the end of his tenure, the premier said he hoped to show a "scorecard", which would reflect that the federal and provincial governments had together achieved the kind of development in five years hitherto never done before in Balochistan's history.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Jhaljao-Bela Road project will "facilitate the movement of the people of Balochistan to other areas and increase their economic, social, industrial, commercial, agricultural, tourism and cultural activities."

It will also create around 3,000 job opportunities for locals, the statement added.

"Jhaljao-Bela Road is also of special importance for the development of trade relations with Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian states," the PMO said.

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Corona SOPs relaxed in eight cities of Pakistan: Umar

The government has announced a new strategy via which cities with low vaccination rates will have to undergo "higher restrictions", said National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) chief Asad Umar.

Flanked by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, Asad Umar said that the government had decided to vaccinate cities and areas where coronavirus positivity ratios were higher.

"Vaccination is the only way forward, as the world knows very well, to battle the coronavirus," he said. "Getting the most people vaccinated is the fastest way to get rid of the problems of coronavirus otherwise, we will have to depend on closures," he added.

He said lockdowns and closures usually meant economic losses and business setbacks. Umar clarified that increased vaccination rates will not, however, mean that coronavirus will be totally eliminated across Pakistan.

"However, it ensure that people are able to spend their lives normally," he said.

"Hence, keeping all this in mind, our NCOC meeting this morning decided that from October 1, our decision to impose more relaxation or restrictions in SOPs for cities and districts will be made on the basis of their respective vaccination rates," he said.

SOPs relaxed in eight cities of Pakistan

Umar said that the NCOC had set a target to vaccinate 40% of the 15 and above age group in Pakistan's 24 or 25 large cities. He said the cities who had achieved the targeted vaccination rate are Gilgit, Skardu, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Quetta and Peshawar.

"We are about to relax restrictions in these eight cities from October 1," he announced. "The rest of the cities and districts will have to implement on the same restrictions that are currently in place, till October 15," he added.

Umar spoke about the relaxations that will be allowed to the above-mentioned eight cities, adding that indoor gatherings of up to 300 persons and outdoor gatherings of up to 1,000 persons will be allowed.

The NCOC chief said that persons who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, in these eight cities, will also be able to watch movies in cinema houses from October 1.

Fully vaccinated persons can also visit shrines in the eight cities, Umar said, adding that however, the provincial government and district administration will keep a check on how the arrangements are made for people to visit these shrines and check whether they have been vaccinated or not.

"Restaurants can remain open throughout the week for these eight cities," he said. "The same goes for wedding halls. They can remain open seven days a week.

Umar announced another relaxation for vaccinated individuals from October 1, not necessarily from these eight cities, adding that food during flights will be served to them.

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