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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Cha­ir­man Imran Khan arrived in Islamabad accompanied by a large number of supporters and managed to secure bail in three cases, but his decision to skip the sessions court proceedings prompted the judge to issue non-bailable warrants for his arrest in the Toshakhana case. Mr Khan, who is recuperating from his leg wound, spent a busy day in the federal capital as he had to appear in three different courts to attend the hearing of his bail applications. Clad in white clothes and a black waistcoat, Imran Khan arrived at the judicial complex after 1pm in his black SUV alongside PTI leaders Murad Saeed, Amir Mehmood Kayani, Ali Nawaz Awan, and others — some of them were seen sitting on the hood of the vehicle. Despite security deplo­yed within and outside the Federal Judicial Complex that houses the ATC, banking court, and other special courts, dozens of pro-PTI lawyers and some party workers managed to enter the courtroom. They chan­ted sloga

TEHRAN: Dozens of Iranian schoolgirls needed hospital treatment on Tuesday after another mysterious poisoning, a news agency reported, the latest in a spate of suspected attacks in the Islamic republic. Hundreds of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in the past three months among schoolgirls mainly in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, with some needing hospitalisation. A government official said on Sunday that the attacks were believed to be a deliberate attempt to force the closure of girls’ schools. “Today (Tuesday) at noon, a number of students were poisoned at the Khayyam Girls’ School in the city of Pardis, Tehran province,” Tasnim news agency reported. It said 35 students had been taken to hospital so far, adding to hundreds of cases of reported poisoning since November in at least two other cities, including Qom. Official terms attacks a deliberate attempt to force closure of girls’ schools The poisonings come more than five months into protests that sp

• Authorities say lender ‘changed its mind’ on at least four prior actions • Officials hint at ‘1998-like situation’, say foreign capitals working for Pakistan’s ‘meltdown’ • Despite its pro-poor mantra, sources claim Fund pushing measures that may hit low-income groups ISLAMABAD: The government has been trying to put on a brave face in its struggle to unlock critical funding from the IMF, but background discussions with officials reveal the administration is quite nervous beneath its confident exterior, as it finds it increasingly difficult to convince the Fund to release a loan instalment. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has changed interpretations of at least four prior actions ahead of rea­ching a staff-level agreement (SLA) on the direly needed economic bailout. Sources say the authorities are extremely annoyed at the latest situation, describing it as ‘maltreatment’. “We are members of the IMF, not beggars or else our membership be discarded,” commented a disgruntled

The latest pictures of actress Janice Tessa are going viral on the picture and video-sharing social media application Instagram. Watch ARY News live on  live.arynews.tv     The ‘ Habs ‘ star shared her pictures on her Instagram account. The clicks showed her flaunting western looks in a t-shirt.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by JANICE TESSA (@janice_tessa) She used heart emoji as the caption. Thousands of Instagram followers complimented her looks and pictures with their likes and comments. Related –  ‘ Habs ‘ star Janice Tessa opens up on ‘colourism’ in industry The actor is one of the most prolific celebrities on social media application platforms. She shares visuals of her professional and personal happenings via clicks and clips for the fans. Earlier, the celebrity posted pictures of her in a flower-printed black shalwar kurta. She used an emoji as the photo album’s caption.   View this post on Instagr

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Tuesday that three Pakistanis perished in a boat wreck near Benghazi in Libya on Sunday last. She said our embassy in Tripoli is facilitating the process of transportation of the mortal remains to Pakistan. In an earlier, separate tragic incident, 3 Pakistani nationals perished in a boat wreck near #Benghazi , #Libya . @PakinLibya_ is facilitating the process of transportation of the mortal remains to #Pakistan . — Spokesperson MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) February 28, 2023 In a relevant statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the death of two Pakistanis in the February 26 migrant boat tragedy in Italy . The FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch wrote on Twitter, “With great sorrow, we can confirm that two Pakistanis have lost their lives in the tragic incident of the boat capsized off the coast of Italy, as identified by their families.” It was learnt that the national women’s football and hock

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has asserted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and others would be arrested in a case registered against the vandalism at the Judicial Complex Islamabad during appearance of the former premier, ARY News reported on Tuesday. In a statement, the interior minister claimed that the ‘attack’ on Judicial Complex Islamabad was planned by Imran Khan for seeking “favourable decisions” from the court. Referring to PTI Chairman, Rana Sanaullah said that a person – who is accused of foreign funding and stealing gifts from Toshakhana – along with armed group tried to hold the entire judicial system hostage. The minister further said that the persons involved in the attack on the judicial complex were being identified through CCTV footages. “Imran Khan among other party leaders would be arrested,” he said, adding that no leniency will be shown under any circumstances. Earlier in the day,  the Islamabad police issued orders to boo

A petition has been filed against the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) chief organiser Maryam Nawaz for the contempt proceedings for her anti-judiciary remarks, ARY News reported on Tuesday. The Civil Society Network filed a petition against Maryam Nawaz over her anti-judiciary remarks, seeking the contempt of court proceedings. The Civil Society Network President Abdullah Malik stated that the ruling PML-N led by Maryam Nawaz is running a propaganda against the judiciary and defaming the judges for its ulterior motives. It added that Maryam and her supporters want to pressurise the judiciary via launching serious allegations that are tantamount to the contempt of court. The petition pleaded with the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for taking suo motu notice of Maryam’s controversial statements and contempt proceedings should be started against the PML-N chief organisers and other leaders. READ: PTI CHALLENGES SHEHBAZ, MARYAM NAWAZ’S ACQUITTAL IN NAB CASES Yesterday, Pakista

BARA: Atop a police outpost in northwest Pakistan, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Faizanullah Khan stands behind a stack of sandbags and peers through the sights of an anti-aircraft gun, scanning the terrain along the unofficial boundary with the tribal districts. On this cold and rainy February morning, he is not looking for aircraft, but for the militants behind the attacks against his force, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police. It is daytime so he could relax a bit, but night was a different story, the ASI said, pointing to the marks left by bullets fired at the Manzoor Shaheed outpost. The outpost is one of dozens that provide defence against the militants waging a fresh assault on the country’s law enforcers from hideouts in the border region adjoining Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The threat the insurgency poses to Pakistan was illustrated last month when a bombing at a mosque inside Peshawar’s police compound killed more than 80 police personnel. Jamaatul Ahrar, a faction of the

• Slimmer SC bench to take up matter of Punjab, KP poll delay today • Four judges leave bench; Justices Afridi, Minallah stick to stance on maintainability, Justices Ahsan, Naqvi bow out ‘amid allegations’ ISLAMABAD: After deli­b­e­rations in an anteroom that lasted around ninety minutes, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial in a surprise move on Monday, split a larger bench into a five-member bench to conduct suo motu proceedings on a delay in elections to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. Earlier, a nine-judge bench — visibly polarised at its first hearing — was scheduled to commence the hearing at 11:30am, but proceedings eventually resumed at 1:30pm after the reconstitution of the bench. The Supreme Court also issued a written order, which was dictated in the open court on Feb 23 when Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail objected to the initiation of the proceedings under Article 184(3). The CJP also hinted that they would like to conclude the matter by Tuesday (today) and close

A video of a youngster getting instant karma when attempting to break a boundary wall for no reason is going viral on social media. Watch ARY News live on  live.arynews.tv   The viral video showed him kicking the wall for breaking or damaging it. His first attempt goes in vain as nothing happens. The metal-like piece got loose on the second attempt.  It caved in on the third kick. He got stuck in the interstitial space or the margin rabbet/rebate. pic.twitter.com/DVGinimsnZ — Instant Karma (@Instantregretss) February 26, 2023 It is not the first time people have been served instant karma for their follies. Related – WATCH: Man served instant karma during harassment attempt Earlier, a video of an elderly pedestrian getting angry at a car driver without reason and being served karma immediately went viral. pic.twitter.com/DVGinimsnZ — Instant Karma (@Instantregretss) February 26, 2023 In the video uploaded by a Twitter user, a driver of a car stopped in front of a zeb

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has demanded the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) extend time for household census as Pakistan’s first-ever digital census will kick off on March 1 (Wednesday), ARY News reported. The MQM-P has penned down a letter to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) chairman, expressing concerns over the steps taken for first-ever digital census. MQM-P demanded to extend the time for household census, saying that allocating only three days in this regard was not enough. “It will not be possible to count houses in a densely populated city like Karachi within three days”, the letter stated. The letter further stated that at least 10 days should be set aside for household censuses, and that the number of days should be increased for the three phases of national household and digital censuses. In the letter, the party stated that in order to enumerate the population completely, the whole process should be done with transparency. It is pertinen

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first-ever digital population and housing census will kick across the country from Wednesday [March 1], ARY News reported on Monday. Briefing the journalists, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) spokesperson Muhammad Sarwar Gondal noted that a portal has already been launched by the bureau so that people can submit their data themselves and don’t need to face the botheration of giving data to census teams visiting door-to-door. He said more than 4 million people have already been registered at the portal and a UTN number will be issued to them after their data is saved and they can give that number to the census team. The spokesperson further said that 121,000 field enumerators have been deployed for the field operation of census, which will begin on Wednesday.  “The process will be completed by April 1 and the data will be released by April 30 which will then be approved by the Council of Common Interests (CCI),” he added. He added that this will be the evid

ISLAMABAD: Lieutenant General (retired) Amjad Shoaib was arrested by the Islamabad police on charges of inciting the public against national institutions, ARY News reported on Monday. Police sources said that officers from the Ramna police station apprehended him at his residence in the federal capital. Sources said that a First Information Report (FIR) was filed last evening against the former army officer at the Ramna police station following his television interview, under sections 153A and 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Read more: IHC grants bail to Azam Swati in controversial tweets case According to the FIR, Lt Gen Amjad Shoaib incited people to revolt against institutions during his television interview. Currently, he is in police custody at the lockup of the police station. Police will produce him before a local court this morning and seek his remand. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/0NPkGC6 https://ift.tt/7Vh0K38

This year Ramazan will definitely be tougher than previous years for many low and middle-income group people, especially in terms of skyrocketing prices in the last year. After over 12 hours of fasting, people try to enjoy lavish iftar by arranging many items. But many people with mediocre wages and salaries are likely to limit their purchases this year. All responsibility lies on the government to ensure the availability of edible items at cheaper rates not only throughout the year but especially in the holy month. As the government is more occupied in political and economic chaos besides pinning hopes on approval of the International Monetary Fund loan (IMF), it is hard to expect any special measures that could bring any impressive price relief. While consumers have witnessed a price spiral in the last year, the government is not in a position to offer any huge subsidies or duty/taxes relaxations to lower prices. Any efforts to curtail prices by lowering taxes and duties may ir

DERA GHAZI KHAN: Mohsin Leghari of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) won the by-election to NA-193 (Rajanpur) with a huge margin on Sunday, unofficial result shows. According to the unofficial result, Mr Mohsin bagged 90,392 votes as compared to 55,218 and 20,074 votes secured by Ammar Awais Khan Leghari of the Pakistan Muslim League-N and Akhtar Hassan Khan Gorchani of Pakistan Peo­ples Party, respectively. While congratulating Mr Mohsin, PTI Chairman Imran Khan expressed the fear that the victory would “scare” the government and its “handlers”. “Congratulations to Mohsin Leghari, Meena Leghari, PTI workers & voters for the NA 193 emphatic victory despite govt machinery, neutrals & ECP all working against PTI,” he tweeted. “My only worry is that this will scare PDM & its handlers more. Therefore, expect greater pressure on SC judges,” he said. The seat had fallen vacant after the death of PTI MNA Jafar Khan Leghari. The result was not unexpected as Jafar Khan was qu

• Plans to propose amendment to NAB law • Accuses judiciary of penalising one leader, protecting another • Sindh CM counts 16 reasons that can lead to a lawmaker’s disqualification KARACHI: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday accused the judiciary of double standard, alleging it penalised one leader but protected another, and called for expanding accountability laws to cover both past and present judges. In a hard-hitting speech, which came two days after a similar address by PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz Sharif in which she called for accountability in the judiciary, Mr Bhutto-Zardari warned that his party would not let this “system of holy cows” run this country. The foreign minister, speaking at a seminar organised by the PPP’s Sindh chapter to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of the 1973 Constitution, was particularly critical of the judiciary’s treat­ment of PTI chief Imran Khan. “I am very sorry to say that the way our apex court is going with double stan

A police check post was attacked by a group of terrorists in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Sunday, ARY News reported. A cop sustained injuries in the attack carried out by a group of terrorists on the Rohri check post in Kulachi Tehsil. Earlier in the month, a cop sustained injuries in a terrorist attack on a check post in Dera Ismail Khan. READ: KP POLICE THWART TERRORIST ATTACK ON DI KHAN CHECK POST Police said that a group of terrorists attacked the Kathi check post in DI Khan today and fled from the scene. A cop got injuries in the exchange of fire between the police officials and terrorists. Police added that the terrorist fled from the scene after police contingents reached the check post under the supervision of DPO Muhammad Shoaib and SDPO Saddar Circle. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/sL0iUWr https://ift.tt/a3OJNgl

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has decided to hold ‘power shows’ against ‘flawed’ delimitations of constituencies as the Sindh government did not notify the increased number of union councils (UCs), ARY News reported on Sunday, citing sources. The decision was taken during an ‘important meeting’ of MQM-P Rabta Committee, which discussed the country’s political situation and issues regarding delimitations of constituencies, census and agreement with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Sources told ARY News that the Rabta Committee also raised concern over the non-issuance of the notification of increased number of union councils (UCs) in Karachi. In this regard, MQM-P has decided to hold power show in Karachi against the delimitation and violation of agreement with PPP. Sources further claimed that the party would hold a public rally on March 12 at Karachi’s Bagh-i-Jinnah. “A formal announcement of the public gathering will be made through a press conference”, source

ISLAMABAD: The Election Com­mission of Pakistan (ECP) has rej­e­c­ted the Punjab government’s request and decided to hold the by-election in Rajanpur on Sunday (today). The by-election will take place on the seat, NA-193 (Rajanpur), which had fallen vacant following the death of PTI’s Sardar Jaffar Khan Leghari in December 2022. Two days before the polling, the interim government of Punjab on Friday requested the commission to postpone the by-election. The government said that the Dera Ghazi Khan division commissioner has raised security concerns in a letter to the home department. The commissioner also wrote to the ECP requesting postponement over security concerns. The ECP, in a statement, said the Punjab government’s requested couldn’t be entertained as all arrangements for the by-election were already in place. It added that the deputy commissioner, Punjab Police, Army and Rangers would be present in the monitoring room and respond to any untoward situation. The ECP sai

• Matches from Tuesday may be shifted to Karachi if deadlock persists • Govt agrees to light up teams’ route to stadium, says no further talks until board commits funds • PCB accuses provincial govt of ‘changing its stance’ on budget LAHORE: The Punjab government may have agreed to light up the route from the team hotels to the Gaddafi Stadium, but its sta­ndoff with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to drag on, making it seem like the Pakistan Super League would be shifted from Lahore and Rawalpindi to Karachi after an agreement on security expenditure eluded the two sides, on Saturday. The Punjab government has lowered its demand for security funds — from Rs450 million to Rs250m — but the PCB is refusing to flinch, stating that it is the obligation of the government to provide protection to the teams, as per the agreements signed in 2014 for the restoration of international cricket in Pakistan. The PCB has taken its patron-in-chief Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in th

Whatever the result in Sunday’s Women’s T20 World Cup final against powerhouse Australia, South Africa captain Sune Luus says the team already feel like winners having become the first side from the country to reach a global final. Watch ARY News live on  live.arynews.tv South Africa will be outright underdogs against the five-time champions, despite having a strong bowling lineup and the home ground advantage at what is likely to be a sold-out Newlands in Cape Town.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ICC (@icc) But having stunned England in a tense semi-final on Friday, Luus believes they laid down a marker for women’s cricket in the country from which they can grow. “We are achieving our goals, we wanted to inspire a nation and put women’s cricket on the map, to get young boys and girls to pick up a bat and ball. Hopefully, tomorrow is just another step in that,” Luus told reporters on Saturday. “We never thought people in