MR News

QUETTA: The Balochistan Apex Committee decided to strictly implement the prevailing SOPs while reviewing the provision of foolproof security of the CPEC projects and the foreign nationals working on them, ARY News reported. Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti chaired a 16th meeting of the provincial apex committee in which important decisions regarding the improvement of law and order, the eradication of terrorism and smuggling, and the second phase of the repatriation of illegal immigrants. The meeting was attended by Commander-XII Corps Lieutenant General Rahat Naseem Ahmad Khan, Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Mir Ziaullah Langau, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Home Zahid Saleem, IG Police Balochistan Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Chief Collector Customs Balochistan Abdul Qadir Memon along with other senior civil and military officials were in attendance. The participants of the meeting agreed to start large-scale operations to

RIYADH: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif attended the Special Dialogue and Gala Dinner hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh. During the event, PM Shehbaz Sharif exchanged views with the Crown Prince, and congratulated the Saudi leadership on the successful organization of the WEF Special Meeting and the excellent arrangements by the hosts. The meeting also discussed regional ties and Gaza situation. The premier conveyed his prayers and good wishes for the health, happiness and long life of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. In addition to bilateral ties, the regional situation, particularly with regards to the crisis in Gaza, was also discussed. PM Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his invitation to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience. Read more: PM Shehbaz highlights Pakistan’s he

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk arrived in Beijing on Sunday on an unannounced visit, where he was expected to discuss the rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and permission to transfer data overseas, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Chinese state media reported that he met Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, during which Li told Musk that Tesla’s development in China could be regarded as a successful example of U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation. “Honored to meet with Premier Li Qiang. We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days,” Musk posted on social media platform X, as he appeared in a picture with the premier. Tesla reached an accord with Chinese authorities for a plant in Shanghai, its first outside the United States, in 2018. The U.S. electric vehicle maker rolled out FSD, the most autonomous version of its Autopilot software, four years ago but has yet to make it available in China, its second-largest market globally, despite cu

Hong Kong’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow between 2.5% and 3.5% for the first quarter, maintaining moderate growth for a fifth consecutive quarter, the city’s finance chief said on Sunday. January-March GDP, scheduled to be released on Thursday, is expected to be “within the range of the full-year economic growth forecast”, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said in his blog, opens new tab without elaborating. Chan in February forecast full-year growth for the Asia financial hub of 2.5% to 3.5% after a 3.2% expansion in 2023. As Hong Kong seeks new sources of growth points, mega events such as fireworks will be held to lure more tourists, Chan said, adding that 800,000 visitors are expected to visit for China’s labour day holiday on Wednesday. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/4sPBd6f

KARACHI: Karachi police and Rangers conducted a joint operation and arrested two members of the notorious Lyari gang war in Malir, ARY News reported on Saturday. According to a Rangers spokesperson, the two arrested suspects, Mohammad Ilyas and Ijaz, were involved in selling drugs in Malir and the surrounding area. During the operation, the law enforcers also recovered illegal weapons, drugs, and mobile phones from the possession of the arrested suspects. The spokesperson added that the arrested criminals have also been arrested and sent to jail in the past. Earlier in the day, the local police of Karachi claimed to have arrested the ring leader allegedly operating two different gangs in the city. The arrested individual, believed to be the brother of the main suspect involved in the murder of Chaudhry Aslam, allegedly operated two different gangs of robbers in the city. In a statement, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) city stated that these two gangs were involved in s

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh predicted semi-finalists of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 set to be held in West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June this year. In a Question-and-Answer session on ICC’s official Instagram account, Yuvraj Singh—who was named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador a day ago, was asked to choose his final four teams of the tournament. The former left-handed batter picked Pakistan as one of his four semi-finalists. The other three favorite teams to reach the semi-finals, according to Yuvraj Singh, are India, England, and Australia. The tournament will be jointly hosted by the USA and the West Indies from 1 June to 29 June. Yuvraj Singh will participate in the World Cup promotional events in the United States before and during the tournament. Yuvraj Singh, who famously hit 36 runs in an over during the first-ever T20 World Cup in 2007 which he and India ultimately won, will attend a range of exciting World Cup promotional eve

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb reaffirmed the government’s commitment to collaborate with the private sector and all relevant stakeholders in propelling Pakistan towards a modernised taxation system, ARY News reported.  Chaired a meeting of the Steering Committee on the FBR’s digitalization, Muhammad Aurangzeb said that  digitalisation  of FBR is not only crucial for improving tax collection, but it would also promote sustained economic growth. The finance minister commended the Procurement Committee for ensuring the selection of high-quality consulting services for this important national project. Muhammad Aurangzeb stressed the need for a result-oriented approach, leveraging existing knowledge on  digitalisation , and  prioritising  early successes. The meeting was also attended by key stakeholders including Chairman FBR Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana, CEO Karandaaz Waqasul Hasan, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Country Lead Syed Ali

A tragic incident was reported from Lahore, where a nine-year-old domestic worker, Zainab, tragically succumbed to burns in Millat Park area, ARY News reported on Friday. According to the details, the victim had been employed at the residence located at in Millat Park area of Lahore from several months and was shifted to hospital today in critically injured condition. While taking swift action, the Punjab police have arrested the homeowner, named Salman for initial investigation. “Zainab sustained burns due to a kitchen cylinder explosion the previous day,” Salman claimed in his statement. READ: Domestic worker abducted, subjected to ‘rape’ for three days He asserted that the victim received initial first aid treatment at home but was later transferred to the hospital as her condition deteriorated. However, it was further revealed that Salman failed to inform Zainab’s family about the incident. DIG Operations has reached out to Zainab’s relatives in Kasur, and a case has been f

KARACHI: The National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) on Thursday organised the International Symposium on ‘Capacity Building for Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling’ (SENSREC) in Karachi. Key stakeholders from various maritime sectors participated in the event to address challenges faced by the shipping industry, a statement said. The symposium paved the way for the revival of a sustainable future in ship recycling, it added. Representatives of the federal and Balochistan governments, PSBA, KS&EW, KPT, PMSA, GEMS, Gadani Ship Breaking Labour Union and NTUF participated in the symposium. Additionally, international experts including Professor Raphael Baumler from the World Maritime University and Rabia Razzaque from UN-ILO also shared insights and global perspectives. The symposium highlighted Pakistan’s potential to become a leader in the field of sustainable ship recycling. The participants emphasised adhering to international standards and regulations to en

Meta’s WhatsApp has warned that it will cease its operations in India owing to the introduction of new rules and regulations. During a hearing at the Delhi High Court, the messaging platform said that WhatsApp services will be effectively shut down in India if it is forced to break message encryption, an Indian media outlet reported. “As a platform, we are saying, if we are told to break encryption, then WhatsApp goes,” the company’s lawyer Tejas Karia told a Division Bench. WhatsApp argued that the end-to-end encryption of the messaging platform gives protection to users’ privacy as only the sender and recipient can access message content. Read more: Apple pulls WhatsApp, Threads from China app store The lawyer maintained WhatsApp is widely used for interaction due to the privacy features it offers. Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp and Facebook, challenged India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. The rules require t

KARACHI: A total of 67 alleged buyers of stolen goods were arrested, as law enforcers conducted several raids in Karachi, ARY News reported on Thursday. Following the directives of Sindh’s Chief Minister, Sindh police initiated a crackdown against the buyers of robbed mobile phones and arrested 67 individuals in District West of Karachi. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) district West, Hafeezur Rehman Bugti, claimed to have recovered stolen goods, including mobile phones and spare parts of the stolen vehicles, from the shops and warehouses of the arrested individuals. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched against the arrested individuals. Earlier this month, Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah directed to take measures to monitor the sale of stolen or snatched mobile phones and vehicles as spare parts or in their complete form in the markets of Karachi. The chief minister issued the directives while chairing the 31st Apex Committee meeting, which was attende

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has decided to conduct a third-party audit of K-Electric’s seven-year investment roadmap, Transmission & Distribution Investment Plan, on a quarterly basis, ARY News reported on Wednesday. The regulatory authority has given its decision on the utility’s Transmission & Distribution Investment Plan till FY 2030, with K-Electric failing to convince NEPRA on its Rs484 billion investment plan. Besides announcing quarterly audit, the NEPRA – according to the order – said it will decide the terms of reference (ToR) for the third-party audit. The company will be required to submit a quarterly report on its investment plan’s progress. K-Electric, the sole power distribution company in Karachi, will also have to provide a performance report under the investment plan, the statement noted. The authority also directed the utility to ensure a secure system to prevent electrical accidents. Meanwhile, the power distributi

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has once again raised objections over the recently-held intra-party elections of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), ARY News reported on Wednesday, citing sources. Sources told ARY News that the electoral watchdog sent a notice to Imran Khan-founded party over alleged irregularities in the intra-party elections, conducted on March 3. Sources added that ECP’s political finance wing has asked the PTI representatives to appear before it on April 30. This is the third time that the electoral body has objected to PTI’s intra-party elections. The PTI submitted documents related to its intra-party polls to the ECP on March 4 – which included details of the newly-elected party office-bearers, a certificate of the party chief containing Form 65, names of the core committee members, and other relevant records. According to the Election Act (2017) all registered political parties in Pakistan must hold intra-party elections as outlined in thei

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that Pakistan aimed to reach $3 trillion economy by 2047 and called for enhanced public-private collaboration and a streamlined regulatory framework. “Pakistan is poised to become a $3 trillion economy by 2047, bolstered by a targeted growth rate of 9%,” he said while emphasising the current opportune moment for international investments in Pakistan, including significant commitments from China and Saudi Arabia. “Leveraging productivity enhancements, Pakistan aims to establish itself as an attractive destination for global industries, fostering its position in the international market,” he added. Minister Ahsan Iqbal, speaking at the Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit 2024, stressed the imperative role of collaboration between the government and the private sector in driving economic growth. He advocated for the development of comprehensive ecosystems within business clusters to optimise value chain

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh on Monday affirmed plans to enhance the performance of government bodies and consider privatisation where deemed necessary. Speaking to journalists at the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) office, he clarified that there were no ongoing discussions regarding the privatization of PNSC. Stressing the need for collective efforts to stabilize the economy and elevate the performance of government institutions, the minister expressed concerns about the PNSC oil ship stranded in Sri Lanka for eight months due to technical issues. He assured an inquiry into the matter and pledged strict action against responsible officials. Furthermore, he announced the imminent appointment of a Chairman for PNSC and emphasized the importance of hiring a CEO from the open market for the corporation. Highlighting efforts to render all government institutions profitable, he cited Karachi Port Trust (KPT) as an example, stating

At least five rockets were launched from Iraq’s town of Zummar towards a US military base in northeastern Syria on Sunday, two Iraqi security sources and a US official told Reuters. The attack against US forces is the first since early February. It comes a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani returned from a visit to the United States, where he met with President Joe Biden at the White House. A post on a Telegram group affiliated with Kataib Hezbollah said armed factions in Iraq had decided to resume attacks on US military bases after a near-three month pause after seeing little progress on talks to end the US-led military coalition in the country. Another popular Telegram group close to Kataib Hezbollah, Sabreen News, later said there had been no official statement by the faction. A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said more than five rockets were fired from Iraq towards troops at a coalition base in Rumalyn, Syria, but no US personnel were

The ice-covered uninhabited Antarctica continent is home to an active volcano that is spewing gold dust worth $6,000 daily. The volcano, Mount Erebus, is considered one of the most intense and southernmost active volcanoes on Earth, the New York Post reported. Scientists believe that it releases roughly 80 grammes of gold dust daily which is valued at around $6,000. The volcano is estimated to emit the gold dust that has been recorded as far as 621 miles away from the Earth’s southernmost Mount Erebus in Antarctica. However, reaching the volcano or near it is a difficult task as it is located in a remote site. The scientists researching the volcano and its impacts use satellites to study it. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observatory, the volcano emits not just gold dust but many other things that make it a dangerous place to be around. “It regularly emits plumes of gas and steam, and occasionally spits out rock (bombs),” according to

CHAKWAL: At least four labourers were killed after inhaling toxic gas in a paper mill located in Chakwal city of Punjab, ARY News reported, citing Rescue officials. According to officials, the labourers fell into an eight-feet deep tank in Minwal Paper Mills and died after inhaling toxic gas. The victims were identified as Amir, Zeeshan, Muhammad Saqib and Jamshed. Rescue officials arrived at the scene and moved the bodies to the District Headquarters Hospital. Meanwhile, DPO Chakwal said that the paper mill has been sealed while raids were being carried out to arrest the owner of the mill. Last year, several including employees fell unconscious after ammonia gas cylinder blast in a food factory located in the Fish Harbour area in Karachi. Read more: Kemari toxic gas case: Investigation report submitted in SHC Emergency was imposed in adjoining areas of the factory in Karachi’s Fish Harbour area after an ammonia gas cylinder exploded in a food factory, leaving several persons i

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan wicket-keeper batter Muhammad Rizwan created history on Saturday by breaking the record of captain Babar Azam and India star batter Virat Kohli in T20Is. During the second T20I against New Zealand here, Muhammad Rizwan became the fastest batter to score 3000 runs in T20Is, surpassing his national team captain Babar and India’s Kohli. Kohli and Azam are the joint-fastest to score 3000 runs in T20I cricket, taking 81 innings each, followed by Australia’s Aaron Finch who took 98 innings. The wicket-keeper batter amassed this record in 79 innings, with his match-winning 45-run knock against the Blackcaps in Saturday’s match. Meanwhile, Babar Azam is closing in on Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs in T20I cricket. Azam has scored 3,698 runs in T20I cricket and is third among the highest run-scorers in the format. Kohli tops the list with 4,037, followed by his teammate Rohit Sharma, who has amassed 3,974 runs. Azam needs 340 runs in five games to become the

Days after mom-to-be Deepika Padukone’s look as a police officer from the sets of Singham Again went viral, director Rohit Shetty unveiled a glimpse of ‘Lady Singham’ revealing the actor in action as the fierce cop. In the poster, Deepika channels power and intensity, mirroring the iconic Tiger step made famous by Ajay Devgn in Singham (2011). Expecting her first child with husband Ranveer Singh in September 2024, she rocks a neat bun and sunglasses to complete the powerful cop look. Apart from sharing the picture, Rohit Shetty also penned a heartwarming note for Deepika. He wrote, “MY HERO… REEL MEIN BHI AUR REAL MEIN BHI LADY SINGHAM!!”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Rohit Shetty (@itsrohitshetty) Fans on the internet rushed to the comments section of the post and expressed excitement. One of the fans wrote, “GOAT performance on the way.” Others said ‘can’t wait’ and dropped red heart emoticons. Deepika Padukone portra

TOBA TEK SINGH: A DNA report revealed that 23-year-old Maria, who was killed by her brother, was not sexually assaulted, ARY News reported. District Police Officer (DPO) Ibadat Nisar said that the DNA report did not prove sexual assault on the slain Maria. He said that the two brothers of the slain woman are accusing each other of assaulting their sister, adding that accusations were not proved in the DNA report. The DPO said that samples of the main accused who are brothers and a father of Maria were taken. Ibadat Nisar said that the main accused and the father had doubts about character of the victim. The DPO said that according to the forensic report, the video is original, and the police have fulfilled all legal requirements. It is pertinent to mention here that In a gruesome incident, a man smothered his sister to death in the presence of a father and other family members in Toba Tek Singh earlier in March. Another brother was filming the murder while the other family members

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday called for joint efforts to steer country out of crisis, saying that his party supremo Nawaz Sharif will be ready to hold talks, but PTI founder Imran Khan won’t, ARY News reported. Speaking to a private news channel, the former interior minister said that PTI founder categorically denied holding talks with major political parties. Stressing the need for national reconciliation, Sanaullah said that Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Imran Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, MQM-P and Baloch leadership should sit together, after which all “problems could be solved”. Meanwhile, he also advised his party for self-accountability, maintaining that he will always stays with party. He added that his political carrier will end if he now leaves PML-N. Referring to Faizabad dharna commission report, Sanaullah said that a truth commission should be formed on the Faizabad sit-in which will reveal all the details. It is pertinent t

ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction over the Faizabad sit-in inquiry and termed the commission report a ‘joke’, ARY News reported on Tuesday. In a conversation with a private news channel, Khawaja Asif said he took the matter before the commission but it wasn’t being taken seriously. He stated that the inquiry commission should reconsider the verdict of the report as this report has ‘no value’ as former army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI chief Faiz Hameed did not appear before the commission to record their statement. “Without the statement of former army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI chief Faiz Hameed, the report the inquiry commission report is incomplete,” he added. Faizabad commission report The commission in its report said that the common perception of the sit-in was aimed at destabilising then federal government. However, then-prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, then-Punjab chief

KARACHI: The footage of the mugging incident at a tea hotel located near DHA Phase One Karachi came to light, showing three accused snatching mobile phones from the citizens, ARY News reported on Monday. As per the CCTV footage, three suspected muggers on two motorcycles arrived at the hotel and robbed citizens at gunpoint, snatching their phones. Meanwhile, other citizens can be observed fleeing from the scene to avoid being targeted by the robbers.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ARY News (@arynewstv) The video further showed a youth in a blue dress resisting the robbery forcing the culprit to open fire which fortunately misses the target. However, the perpetrators managed to escape after snatching a mobile phone from the citizen. Earlier in the day, the CCTV footage from a bakery belonging to a popular Pakistani burger chain captures an alleged policeman and his accomplice engaged in a robbery. The CCTV footage of the

SYDNEY: Former Australia cricketer Michael Slater has been remanded in police custody after being charged with more than a dozen offences, including assault and stalking, an international media outlet reported.   According to the report, the 54-year-old cricketer-turned-commentator’s case was summoned in Maroochydore magistrates court on Monday. The former Australia cricketer is being charged on 19 counts for alleged acts that purportedly occurred on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland on various dates between December 5, 2023, and April 12, 2024. In addition, Michael Slater was charged with ten charges of violating his bail and disobeying a domestic violence order. The Queensland Maroochydore Magistrates Court reportedly heard Slater’s case on Monday. The report, however, did not identify the victim. Meanwhile, the local police confirmed detaining a 54-year-old man from Noosa Heads at the Sunshine Coast last Friday over the alleged domestic violence incidents for several days. Sla

A man was charged with murder and robbery after a human head was found in an apartment’s refrigerator in Brooklyn, New York. According to city police, Nicolas McGee, 45, was arrested Thursday afternoon and also charged with robbery, concealment of a human corpse and tampering with evidence. The remains of 40-year-old Kawsheen Gelzer were found on January 22 in an apartment McGee shared with Heather Stines, 45, who was arrested on a charge of concealment of a human corpse, police said. Read more: Man arrested after dumping human head in a recycling bin in Spain Police said they responded to a request for a wellness check at the apartment and found multiple black bags with body parts in the refrigerator and freezer. Medical examiners were later able to identify Gelzer through fingerprints, according to a criminal complaint. Police did not provide additional details about the case, including how and when Gelzer was killed. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/JfKqGT9

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday castigated the recently-formed PTI-led grand opposition alliance, saying that some politicians are hatching a conspiracy against the country under pretext of poll rigging claims. The former foreign minister made these remarks while addressing a public gathering at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in connection with 45th death anniversary of former prime minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Lambasting the opposition alliance, Bilawal Bhutto said that some politician wanted to launch Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) II – referring to a nine-party alliance launched in 1977 against the Bhutto-led government. “Due to those conspiratorial politicians, the country faced ten years of dictatorship [Gen Ziaul Haq’s tenure] and even today such politicians are doing the same which is a threat to the country,” he noted. He pointed out that many forces did not believe in democracy and used to hatch conspiracies but President Asif Ali Za

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistanis are reportedly on board the Israel-linked container ship seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, with the Foreign Office raising the issue with Tehran for their release, ARY News reported on Sunday. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Saturday seized a container ship “related to the Zionist regime (Israel) in the Gulf,” state media reported a day earlier. “A container ship named ‘MCS Aries’ was seized by the Sepah (Guards) Navy Special Forces by carrying out a heliborne operation,” IRNA state news agency reported. It added that the operation took place “near the Strait of Hormuz”, a waterway vital to world trade, and “this ship has now been directed towards the territorial waters” of Iran. Vessel tracking websites, vesselfinder.com and marinetraffic.com, say MSC Aries is a Portuguese-flagged container ship. Both sites give its last reported position as in the Gulf. The surging tensions come against the backdrop of the six-month war waged by Israel against Pales

Iran launched dozens of drones at Israel on Saturday but they will take hours to reach their targets, Israel’s military said, an attack that may trigger a major escalation between the regional archenemies, with the U.S. pledging to back Israel. Two security sources in Iraq said dozens of drones had been spotted flying from Iran toward Israel over Iraqi airspace in what Iranian Press TV called “extensive drone strikes” by the Revolutionary Guards. Iran has vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1 that killed seven Revolutionary Guards officers including two senior commanders. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, who on Friday warned Iran against attacking Israel after saying such a scenario appeared imminent, has pledged to stand with Israel against Iran, the White House said. A retired Israeli general, Amos Yadlin, told the country’s Channel 12 news that the Iranian drone