PPP has capability to help the country negotiate all the challenges: Asif Zardari

PPP co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday claimed that his party will form the next government in the Centre after winning the 2023 general elections.

“The next government (in the Centre) will be the PPP’s. I promise if I get a chance to return to power I will turn around Pakistan 110 degrees. The PPP has the capability to help the country negotiate all the challenges,” the former president said on Saturday during an interaction with the party’s office-bearers and workers at Bilawal House in Bahria Town here where he had directly reached from Nawabshah.

Regarding the party’s politics in Punjab, Mr Zardari dismissed the impression that the PPP had been wiped out from the province as well as Gilgit-Baltistan. “This is not true. The PPP has to sacrifice its politics to ‘save Pakistan’. I will myself look into the party affairs in Punjab and ensure its revival here,” he declared.

Zardari claimed the PPP, which is a part of the nine-party coalition government led by the PML-N in Punjab and Centre, would help steer the country out of the economic and political crises. He, however, did not mention contesting the next general elections with the PML-N unlike the agreement for the by-polls in Punjab next month. “We will strengthen our party in Punjab and ensure we get our fair share in the province,” he exclaimed.

Amid the slogans of “Aik Zardari sab pe bhari”, the PPP senior leader further said he would accord respect to the party workers and consult them in any future decisions. “Since it is very difficult for the workers to reach Bahria Town, which is far from the central city, I have decided to get a house in Gulberg (the city centre) for maintaining interaction with them,” he announced.

Zardari also took on ousted premier Imran Khan, saying the policies of the “anokha laadla” (a favourite of the powers that be) had caused price hike and inflation in the country.

In a reference to the PML-N, the former president said: “They (Sharifs) listen to us only when they need us.”

PPP provincial leadership, including Aslam Gill, Faisal Mir, Samina Ghurki, Azizur Rehman Chan, Tanvir Ashraf Kaira and Farooq Saeed, were also present in the meeting where Mr Zardari also welcomed Ashraf Bara in the party fold.

The former president later left for Nawabshah and is scheduled to return next week when he will hold meetings with the PML-N leadership regarding his party’s share in Punjab.

Earlier, the PPP Punjab chapter had complained to Mr Zardari that Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was reluctant to give its lawmakers in the province their ‘agreed share’. The PPP has seven seats in the Punjab Assembly and they were reportedly promised four ministries and two adviserships by the Sharifs.

The PPP is interested in the portfolios of finance, and communication and works, but the PML-N circles believe such key seats should stay within the party. In the existing eight-member cabinet of Hamza, PPP has two members, but they remain inactive in meetings due to non-allocation of portfolios. Despite their induction to the cabinet over two weeks ago, not all members have been assigned portfolios. The PML-N leadership appears to be indecisive about the next phase of cabinet expansion.

Although the PML-N and PPP have agreed to jointly contest the next month’s by-polls on 20 provincial seats in Punjab against Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), owing to ideological differences between the parties, their workers are yet to be seen in these constituencies canvassing for their joint candidates.

Hamza Shahbaz, who lost majority in the Punjab Assembly after the election commission de-seated 25 PTI lawmakers over defection in the election for the chief minister, is desperate to see the PML-N-PPP-backed candidates win the by-polls so he could retain his office.

from Latest Pakistan News - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/UwVtEhL

‘Inflation protest’: Imran Khan to announce PTI’s future strategy today

PTI is all set to stage a nationwide "peaceful demonstration" tonight against rising inflation on the call of their leader, Imran Khan.

A day earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan had announced he would share his future course of action in his party's countrywide protest — slated for today (Sunday) — against inflation.

Chairing a meeting of his party spokespersons, the former prime minister said that the future course of action will be decided along with the nation in today's (June 19) protest.

"Oppression and force cannot stop the people from raising their voices," he added.

During the meeting, the PTI chairman congratulated the members, especially ex-energy minister Hammad Azhar, on Pakistan's removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) grey list.

Talking about the rising prices in the country, Khan said that the PTI shielded the nation from global inflation.

"The current government does not care about the people or the future of the country," he said, adding that the "situation will be out of control if the economy was destabilised."

Imran Khan further claimed that the "coalition government is putting the future of the nation at stake just to save themselves" and alleged that the government is destroying the institutions to keep itself in power.

Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry called the people belonging to big cities, including Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar to protest against "high inflation and lawlessness".

Taking to Twitter, Fawad asked people to protest at Shah Abbas Chowk in Multan, Ghanta Ghar Chowk in Faisalabad, Commercial Market in Rawalpindi, F-9 Park in Islamabad, Liberty Chowk in Lahore, Shahrae Qaideen in Karachi.

from Latest Pakistan News - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/p4G3RAZ

PPP has capability to help the country negotiate all the challenges: Asif Zardari

PPP co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday claimed that his party will form the next government in the Centre after winning the 2023 general elections.

“The next government (in the Centre) will be the PPP’s. I promise if I get a chance to return to power I will turn around Pakistan 110 degrees. The PPP has the capability to help the country negotiate all the challenges,” the former president said on Saturday during an interaction with the party’s office-bearers and workers at Bilawal House in Bahria Town here where he had directly reached from Nawabshah.

Regarding the party’s politics in Punjab, Mr Zardari dismissed the impression that the PPP had been wiped out from the province as well as Gilgit-Baltistan. “This is not true. The PPP has to sacrifice its politics to ‘save Pakistan’. I will myself look into the party affairs in Punjab and ensure its revival here,” he declared.

Zardari claimed the PPP, which is a part of the nine-party coalition government led by the PML-N in Punjab and Centre, would help steer the country out of the economic and political crises. He, however, did not mention contesting the next general elections with the PML-N unlike the agreement for the by-polls in Punjab next month. “We will strengthen our party in Punjab and ensure we get our fair share in the province,” he exclaimed.

Amid the slogans of “Aik Zardari sab pe bhari”, the PPP senior leader further said he would accord respect to the party workers and consult them in any future decisions. “Since it is very difficult for the workers to reach Bahria Town, which is far from the central city, I have decided to get a house in Gulberg (the city centre) for maintaining interaction with them,” he announced.

Zardari also took on ousted premier Imran Khan, saying the policies of the “anokha laadla” (a favourite of the powers that be) had caused price hike and inflation in the country.

In a reference to the PML-N, the former president said: “They (Sharifs) listen to us only when they need us.”

PPP provincial leadership, including Aslam Gill, Faisal Mir, Samina Ghurki, Azizur Rehman Chan, Tanvir Ashraf Kaira and Farooq Saeed, were also present in the meeting where Mr Zardari also welcomed Ashraf Bara in the party fold.

The former president later left for Nawabshah and is scheduled to return next week when he will hold meetings with the PML-N leadership regarding his party’s share in Punjab.

Earlier, the PPP Punjab chapter had complained to Mr Zardari that Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was reluctant to give its lawmakers in the province their ‘agreed share’. The PPP has seven seats in the Punjab Assembly and they were reportedly promised four ministries and two adviserships by the Sharifs.

The PPP is interested in the portfolios of finance, and communication and works, but the PML-N circles believe such key seats should stay within the party. In the existing eight-member cabinet of Hamza, PPP has two members, but they remain inactive in meetings due to non-allocation of portfolios. Despite their induction to the cabinet over two weeks ago, not all members have been assigned portfolios. The PML-N leadership appears to be indecisive about the next phase of cabinet expansion.

Although the PML-N and PPP have agreed to jointly contest the next month’s by-polls on 20 provincial seats in Punjab against Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), owing to ideological differences between the parties, their workers are yet to be seen in these constituencies canvassing for their joint candidates.

Hamza Shahbaz, who lost majority in the Punjab Assembly after the election commission de-seated 25 PTI lawmakers over defection in the election for the chief minister, is desperate to see the PML-N-PPP-backed candidates win the by-polls so he could retain his office.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/UwVtEhL

‘Inflation protest’: Imran Khan to announce PTI’s future strategy today

PTI is all set to stage a nationwide "peaceful demonstration" tonight against rising inflation on the call of their leader, Imran Khan.

A day earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan had announced he would share his future course of action in his party's countrywide protest — slated for today (Sunday) — against inflation.

Chairing a meeting of his party spokespersons, the former prime minister said that the future course of action will be decided along with the nation in today's (June 19) protest.

"Oppression and force cannot stop the people from raising their voices," he added.

During the meeting, the PTI chairman congratulated the members, especially ex-energy minister Hammad Azhar, on Pakistan's removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) grey list.

Talking about the rising prices in the country, Khan said that the PTI shielded the nation from global inflation.

"The current government does not care about the people or the future of the country," he said, adding that the "situation will be out of control if the economy was destabilised."

Imran Khan further claimed that the "coalition government is putting the future of the nation at stake just to save themselves" and alleged that the government is destroying the institutions to keep itself in power.

Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry called the people belonging to big cities, including Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar to protest against "high inflation and lawlessness".

Taking to Twitter, Fawad asked people to protest at Shah Abbas Chowk in Multan, Ghanta Ghar Chowk in Faisalabad, Commercial Market in Rawalpindi, F-9 Park in Islamabad, Liberty Chowk in Lahore, Shahrae Qaideen in Karachi.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/p4G3RAZ

Oil prices tumbled about 6%

Oil prices tumbled about 6% to a four-week low on Friday on worries that interest rate hikes by major central banks could slow the global economy and cut demand for energy.

Also pressuring prices, the US dollar this week rose to its highest level since December 2002 against a basket of currencies, making oil more expensive for buyers using other currencies.

Brent futures fell $6.69, or 5.6%, to settle at $113.12 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $8.03, or 6.8%, to settle at $109.56.

That was the lowest close for Brent since May 20 and the lowest for WTI since May 12. It was also the biggest daily percentage decline for Brent since early May and the biggest for WTI since late March.

For the week, Brent futures declined for the first time in five weeks, while WTI dropped for the first time in eight weeks.

There will be no US trading on Monday, the Juneteenth holiday.

"Crude prices tumbled as the dollar rallied, Russia signaled oil exports should increase, and as global recession fears grow," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at data and analytics firm OANDA.

Global central bankers who quickly loosened monetary policy during the pandemic to avoid a recession, are now tightening to fight inflation.

The Federal Reserve this week hiked US rates by the most in more than a quarter of a century.

"With the central banks making pretty substantial moves to limit growth via interest rate hikes and monetary tightening is showing up here in the petroleum complex," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York, noting that slower economic growth should cut energy demand.

With the Fed expected to keep raising interest rates, open interest in WTI futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell on Thursday to its lowest level since May 2016 as investors cut back on risky assets.

US gasoline and diesel futures also slid over 4% on worries high pump prices will reduce demand.

Automobile group AAA said the price of diesel at the pump hit a record-high $5.798 per gallon on Friday, while the price of gasoline hit a record high of $5.016 earlier in the week.

US energy firms this week added just four oil rigs as President Joe Biden slammed producers for profiting from sky-high prices instead of doing more to boost output.

Even as his administration wants Saudi Arabia to produce more oil, Biden said he was not going to have a bilateral meeting with Saudi Arabia's de facto leader Mohammed bin Salman during his trip to the region next month, and that he was only seeing the Saudi crown prince as part of a broader "international meeting."

Russia, meanwhile, expects its oil exports to increase in 2022 despite Western sanctions and a European embargo, the Russian deputy energy minister said on Friday, according to Tass news agency.

The market's turbulence has certainly increased since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Russian gas flows to Europe fell short of demand on Friday as an early heat wave in the south boosted demand for air conditioning.

The European Union's executive body recommended that Ukraine and Moldova become candidates for membership in the world's largest trading bloc.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/tzviFD6

Return of Pakistan to the whitelist of FATF is big success:PM

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the return of Pakistan to the whitelist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is a big success.

PM Shehbaz Sharif felicitated the nation and welcomed the announcement of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that Pakistan had met all its conditions for exclusion from the grey list.

In a statement, he said, “Praise be to Allah, return of Pakistan to the white list is a big success of Pakistan.”

He congratulated the government institutions, personalities and relevant team and said their joint efforts brought fruit,

He appreciated the performance of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and the team of the Foreign Ministry.

The PM said the efforts of the basic cell related to FATF and of military and civil leadership included in it, were praiseworthy and credit went to them for their work in this national endeavour.

“I pay tribute to the whole team working for the success of Pakistan,” he said adding the statement of FATF was a recognition of the restoration of the international reputation of Pakistan.

“More such good news will be the destiny of Pakistan in future,” he said adding the return of Pakistan to the white list would help in improving the economic and financial situation of Pakistan.

“We are working with the same determination for the economic revival of Pakistan,” he concluded.

Key development
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has acknowledged that Pakistan has “substantially completed its two action plans”, saying that the watchdog will now schedule an on-site visit to verify the implementation of the measures.

However, Pakistan has not been formally removed from the FATF’s grey list. In a statement, the watchdog acknowledged that Pakistan has completed both its action plans, covering 34 items and said this showed the necessary political commitment was in place to sustain implementation and improvement in the future.

“The FATF will continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation and conduct an on-site visit at the earliest possible date to verify the implementation and sustainability of the country’s money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures,” it added.

The FATF also acknowledged Pakistan continued political commitment to combating both terrorist financing and money laundering, which it said had led to significant progress.

“Pakistan demonstrated that terror financing investigations and prosecutions target senior leaders and commanders of UN designated terrorist groups and that there is a positive upwards trend in the number of money laundering investigations and prosecutions being pursued in Pakistan, in line with Pakistan’s risk profile,” it added.

The financial watchdog noted that Pakistan has also largely addressed its 2021 action plan ahead of the set times.

from Latest Pakistan News - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/IN0peiD

Police file multiple cases after violence-marred NA-240 by-election

Police have filed multiple cases after one person was killed and several injured in the violence-marred NA-240 by-election.

Three cases have been registered at the Landhi police station, whereas one has been filed at the Korangi police station, police said on Friday.

Among the cases registered at the Landhi police station, a case mentions the name of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairman Mustafa Kamal.

According to the FIR, Kamal entered a polling station in Landhi 6 accompanied by 50 to 60 men, and wreaked havoc there.

Another FIR stated that the chaos at the Landhi 6 polling station resulted in the death of one person and injury to several.

It said that clashes broke out when during a TLP rally, several armed men belonging to the TLP opened fire on PSP members.

A passerby, Saifuddin, son of Kalimuddin, was killed in the process.

The FIR said that due to the firing by TLP, deep panic set in among the area's residents.

It further stated that following retaliatory fire by PSP, several people were wounded and are under treatment.

The police cases say that the act of firing by the political parties, that ultimately resulted in a death and multiple injuries, constitutes a crime under sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 324 (attempt to commit murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The third case registered at the Landhi police station was filed on the complaint of the presiding officer and includes terrorism related clauses, said police officials.

According to the first information report (FIR), 400-500 people belonging to a political party entered a polling station all at once.

The staff of the polling station were beaten up and election materials damaged, the FIR said.

When the ballot boxes were damaged, the police sprung into action, it further said, adding that the troublemakers were immediately dispersed and the polling process resumed.

The fourth case, registered at the Korangi police station was filed on the complaint of a police officer and includes a riot clause.

According to the FIR, 20-25 men armed with sticks stood outside a polling station set up at a school.

The police raided the polling station and took five men into custody and recovered the sticks, the FIR said.

The stick-wielding men attempted to destabilise law and order, the FIR added.

Yesterday's by-election saw incidents of violence across the constituency, with one person belonging to the PSP killed and several others injured — including ex-MPA Iftikhar Alam, who is also a member of the PSP.

The contest saw the participation of 25 candidates for the seat — a stronghold of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) — that fell vacant after the death of MQM-P MNA Muhammad Ali Khan this year on April 19.

MQM-P once again emerged victorious with a close margin of 65 votes against rival Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

The MQM-P candidate, Mohammad Abubakar, secured 10,683 votes, while TLP candidate Shahzada Shahbaz bagged 10,618 votes.

Meanwhile, Muhajir Qaumi Movement candidate Syed Rafiuddin secured the third position with 8,349 votes, PPP Nasir Rahim got fourth place after bagging 5,240 votes, and PSP’s Shabbir Kaimkhani grabbed 4,782 votes to stand fifth.

 

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/OSU2aAH