Pakistan

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Rs25.7m lapse sparks row; JICA warns of serious concerns if closure persists

Five others injured as Arain, Panwar groups exchange fire

Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim on Wednesday congratulated Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) on receiving approval from the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for the acquisition of Telenor Pakistan, terming the move an important step towards strengthening the country’s telecom sector.

The Government of Balochistan has announced a blanket ban on poppy seeds (khashkhash), prohibiting their sale, purchase, transportation, and possession with immediate effect.

Mobile networks and the internet were restored across Afghanistan on Wednesday, 48 hours after the Taliban authorities shut down telecommunications. Confusion gripped the South Asian country on Monday night when mobile phone service and the internet went down without warning, freezing businesses and cutting Afghans off from the rest of the world. The massive blackout came weeks after the government began cutting high-speed internet connections to some provinces to prevent “immorality”, on the orders of shadowy supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. AFP journalists reported on Wednesday that mobile phone signals and wifi had returned to provinces across the country, including Kandahar in the south, Khost in the east, central Ghazni, and Herat in the west. The Taliban government has yet to comment on the telecommunications shutdown. On Wednesday night, hundreds of Afghans poured onto the streets in the capital Kabul, spreading the word that the internet was back. “It’s like Eidul Azha; it’s like preparing to go ...

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At least ten terrorists were killed in Quetta’s Aghbarg area during an exchange of fire with security personnel from the Counter-terrorism Department (CTD), a spokesperson said on Wednesday. “Ten terrorists were killed during an exchange of fire between them and the CTD team in the Aghbarg neighbourhood of Quetta,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “CTD carried out the operation after receiving a tip-off from intelligence agencies,” he said, adding that “upon reaching the area, they were attacked by the terrorists but promptly retaliated.” “Heavy ammunition and weapons were recovered from the slain terrorists,” as per the statement. The spokesperson said that the “terrorists had previously been involved in attacking security forces and belonged to a banned terrorist outfit.” “The slain terrorists have not yet been identified,” the spokesperson said, adding that their “bodies have been transferred to a hospital for identification purposes.” “Further investigation into the matter is underway,” the statement...

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday said that talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were headed in the “right direction”. An IMF mission led by Iva Petrova held a formal kick-off meeting with Pakistan’s economic team to review the implementation of the EFF and RSF. The programme’s performance as of the end of June this year — the period under review — has been mixed. The start of the next review period, ending December this year, has also been off the mark, particularly in revenue collection. The two sides now have to agree on corrective measures during their dialogue to meet the next biannual targets. Today, Aurangzeb spoke to reporters as he left a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue in Islamabad. The minister told reporters that the $7.1 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the $1.1bn Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) were being reviewed. “So far, so good,” he said. The EFF is undergoing its second review, while the RSF is being reviewed fo...

Four terrorists were apprehended during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district on Wednesday, a statement released by the military’s media affairs wing said. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted an IBO on the reported presence of “terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Hindustan”. The state has designated Balochistan-based groups such as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. “During the conduct of [the] operation, own forces apprehended four [terrorists] trying to flee cowardly by disguising in women’s attire,” the ISPR said. “Weapons and ammunition was also recovered from the terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area,” it added. The ISPR further said that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area, adding that security forces were determined to wipeout the “menace...

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have agreed to address all outstanding issues through dialogue and mutual understanding, sources revealed on Wednesday.

Security forces in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district have arrested four terrorists attempting to flee while disguised in women’s clothing.

The Toshakhana II case against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi was heard inside Adiala Jail on Wednesday.

The United States will regard “any armed attack” on Qatari territory as a threat to Washington and will provide the Gulf Arab state with security guarantees, the White House said, after an Israeli strike on the country last month. “In light of the continuing threats to the State of Qatar posed by foreign aggression, it is the policy of the United States to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar against external attack,” said an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on Monday. In the event of an attack on Qatar, the United States will “take all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military — to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability,” the order said. The agreement comes after an Israeli strike on the key US regional ally on September 9, targeting officials from Hamas who were discussing a US peace proposal to end the conflict in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minist...

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira has criticized recent aggressive remarks by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, terming such language inappropriate and undemocratic.

An Islamabad District and Sessions Court on Wednesday recalled the non-bailable arrest warrants issued against human rights defenders and lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha after the two appeared in court. Arrest warrants had been issued for the two lawyers yesterday for failing to appear before the court in a case related to controversial tweets. A junior lawyer informed the court that Mazari and Chattha had left for another appearance in Rawalpindi after marking their attendance earlier in the day. The case was heard by Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka, with police deployed outside the courtroom for tight security. While the couple appeared in court today, they did not respond with a confirmation or denial when the charge sheet against them was read out. “We will hire lawyers and can respond to the court regarding this after that,” Chattha said. “We have filed a new application regarding our documents … No indictment can be made until this application is decided.” The accused had ...

The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has approved Pakistan Telecommunications Limited’s (PTCL) acquisition of mobile carrier Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers shareholdings, according to a press release issued on Wednesday. According to the telecommunication company’s website, one of its subsidiaries is mobile carrier Ufone. As part of the deal, Telenor and Ufone will merge. According to the press release, the merger was announced today at a press conference at the CCP’s head office. CCP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, CCP Registrar and Head of Legal Ambreen Abbasi and members Salman Amin and Shahzad Hussain shared the key highlights of the agreement. “They explained that [the] CCP conducted a comprehensive review of the merger transaction,” the press release read. “The review examined market structure, concentration levels, efficiencies, and potential competition risks.” Dr Sidhu emphasised that the commission’s decision “ensures a level playing field for all telecom operators and safeguards consumer ...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Centre in Samli, Murree today.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that, with the assistance of Chinese technology, an anti-smog gun has been developed in just two months.