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Thursday, 16 march, 2023 I 23 shaban, 1444
Rs 15.00 | Vol XIII No 257 I 08 Pages I lahore Edition
Oil hits lowest in more than a year
FO speaks on Khalilzad’s tweet: Pakistan doesn’t need ‘unsolicited advice’
Pakistan, US vow to continue joint efforts for economic growth, energy security
PML-N only capable party to protect country, masses: Maryam Nawaz
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LHC HaLTS PoLiCe oPeraTion for imran’S arreST TiLL Today g
IHC UPHOLDS ARREST WARRANTS, g IMRAN ASKS MILITARy TO ‘ABANDON DIRECTS KHAN TO APPROACH TRIAL LONDON PLAN’ OF PREvENTINg HIM COURT IN THOSHAKHANA CASE FROM COMINg TO POWER LAHORE
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staff report
HE Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday stopped the almost 24-hour-long operation launched by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) at Zaman Park for the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for not show up in court in Thoshakhana case, till 10am on Thursday (today). There were clashes between PTI workers and police personnel, flanked Punjab Rangers contingents, since launch of the operation on Tuesday. On the other hand, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed of a plea filed on behalf of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, seeking cancellation of his arrest warrants issued by the trial court in Thoshakhana case. The IHC directed the petitioner to approach the trial court for relief and asked the PTI’s lawyer to submit an undertaking regarding the appearance of Imran Khan before the sessions court which would view the matter as per law. ‘Case in lHC’ A single-member LHC bench comprising Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh passed the orders while hearing a petition, filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, seeking directions to stop the police operation in Zaman Park launched for the arrest of the PTI chairman in Toshakhana case. During the hearing, the Punjab chief secretary, the Inspector general of Police (IgP) and others officers appeared before the court on being summoned. To a court query, the Punjab IgP submitted that the Islamabad police had sought assistance for the arrest of the PTI chairman in Toshakhana case, following is-
suance of his non-bailable arrest warrants by the trial court. He submitted that 73 police personnel were injured due to attacks by the PTI workers when they reached Zaman Park to comply with the
court orders. The IgP submitted that he decided that no police personnel or officers would carry weapons during the operation and the situation was controlled through the use of
water cannon and tear gas. However, the PTI workers used petrol bombs, which destroyed two police vehicles, he said and added that not only Elite force but also vehicles of rangers were also attacked. He submitted that the Islamabad police officers and SP Amara Shirazi were also attacked. The IgP submitted: “We wanted to arrest those responsible for torture of police and stopping the police from carrying out its duties.” At this stage, the chief secretary Punjab submitted that the IgP Punjab had informed the court about the situation in detail. However, the court observed that whether the operation could be stopped temporarily, in view of the pending proceedings before the Islamabad High Court in the matter. The IgP submitted that the police wanted to arrest people who damaged property.
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Govt claims Imran wants to spread anarchy Islamabad: The incumbent government while reacting to Imran Khan’s arrest issue claimed that the PTI Chairman is using his party workers to evade arrest and only wants to spread anarchy in the country. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan wants to spread anarchy, civil war and unrest in the country. In a video statement, she said Imran Khan is hiding from the police in order to escape from the arrest and has made women, children and youth as his shield. She said Imran Khan is politically dead and now inciting his armed gangs and hooligans against the state institutions. The Minister said PTI is not a political party but has turned into an armed gang because a political party always upholds rule of law and the constitution. She categorically stated that the incumbent government did not not want to arrest Imran Khan despite having state powers, but only wanted to get the court’s orders and warrants implemented. She said Imran Khan, through his toxic approach, is defying the courts and their orders. She also appealed to the courts to take notice of his defying attitude. Marriyum Aurangzeb said police and other law enforcing agencies are unarmed and only implementing the court’s orders. She said Imran Khan should answer to the courts about his cases. She said 65 police personnel have so far been injured due to terrorism of PTI hooligans. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan believes that no law of the land applies to him and he has repeatedly broken the law for which he will have to answer. Speaking in The Daily Show during his US visit, Bilawal on Wednesday said Imran Khan has been summoned to court many a time but he was not appearing. Now, Imran Khan has pitched his workers against the police to save himself, he added. staff report
Govt jacks up petrol price by Rs5 ISLAMABAD staff report
Federal government late Wednesday night increased the price of petrol by Rs5 per litre to Rs272 per litre for the next fortnight. “In the last fortnight, Platts Singapore prices registered an increase. This along with a depreciation of Pak Rupee has resulted in an increase of POL (petroleum, oil and lubricant) products in Pakistan,” a press release issued by the Finance Division. The raise in oil prices come as a huge
surprise as oil prices in the international market have plunged 5 percent to their lowest in more than a year as unease over Credit Suisse spooked world markets and offset hopes of a Chinese oil demand recovery. Early signs of a return to calm and stability faded after Credit Suisse’s largest investor said it could not provide the Swiss bank with more financial assistance, sending its shares and other European equities sliding. The new prices will be effective from
today, March 16. The press release added that the price of high-speed diesel was also increased by Rs13 per litre to Rs293 per litre and kerosene by Rs2.56 per litre to Rs190.29 per litre “by reducing government dues on it”. “Price of light diesel oil has been kept constant (Rs184.68 per litre) by adjusting government dues as well,” the press release added. On February 28, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had announced a reduction in the price of petrol by Rs5 per litre.
Embattled shehbaz claims political uncertainty not a hindrance in ImF talks g
SAyS gOvT ACCEPTED ‘HARSH’ TERMS, TRyINg NOT TO OFFEND IMF PROfIt REPORt islamabad
On a day of significant political setbacks for the incumbent PDM government in the center, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif insisted that the raging political uncertainty in the country was not causing any problems in negotiations between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Responding to a question during a meeting with office bearers of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), the prime minister rejected recent reports in the media claiming the deal with the IMF had been delayed because of continuing political uncertainty. However, the premier went on to say that Pakistan had accepted the ‘harshest’ of demands set by the IMF and that the deal was 2-3 days away. The mantra of “just around the corner” has been repeated ad nauseam by the federal government over the
past two months since a delegation of the IMF left Pakistan without signing a staff level agreement. When asked whether the government could give a solid deadline for when the deal will happen instead of repeating the same promise of 2-3 days repeatedly, the prime minister deflected the question and did not give a substantial answer. Political uncertainty gives rise to fears of delay The prime minister met the delegation on the same day that law enforcement agencies failed to arrest former premier Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case. Police and rangers had to turn back from Khan’s Zaman Park residence after supporters of the PTI showed up in droves to protect their leader from arrest. Meanwhile, as the country’s political situation worsened with elections set to take place in two provinces in the next few months, media reports claimed the IMF was seeking assurances from Pakistan that the future political setup in the
country will respect any deal they sign with Islamabad. According to the report, the expected elections in Punjab and KPK have bolstered the doubts of the money lender, as it hints towards an early general election as well. The IMF requires the PTI leader Imran Khan to pledge to keep up with the conditions if he comes to power later this year. Government stepping on eggshells On further inquiring on what is causing the delay in reaching the accord, the PM responded by saying that the situation currently is uncertain. The government is being extremely careful as to not offend the IMF. He further added that in a bid to provide some relief and mitigate the effects of inflation on low-income citizens, the government is trying to introduce a scheme whereby motorbikes and rickshaw drivers would receive subsidized petrol.
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PPP’s threat works as Sindh allowed access to census dashboard ISLAMABAD staff report
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government ‘succumbed’ to the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) threat to quit federal ministries and allowed the provincial governments, especially the Sindh to access the census monitoring dashboards. The decision has been taken in an attempt to address reservations raised by the top PPP leadership on the digital census. The decision to give access to the provincial governments, especially Sindh, has mainly been taken to persuade the key ally to continue standing by the federal government and shun any second thoughts at a time when the country is going through a political upheaval amid severe financial crises just ahead of the general elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. “It has been decided that the statistics as required by the provincial governments, especially Sindh … may be included in the monitoring dashboard,” Chief Statistician of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Dr Naeemuz Zafar stated in a letter addressed to the chairman National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). The chief census commissioner added that the dashboard has already been deployed for chief secretaries, saying the role-based access of the same may be provided to all provincial/regional chief secretaries, commissioners, deputy commissioners (DCs) and assistant commissioners (ACs). Keeping in view the sensitivity of the matter, Zafar stated, NADRA teams be directed to assure access to the dashboard by March 15 to all the DCs and ACs “at all census district level for broader involvement, transparency and credibility of this national activity of extreme importance”. PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had recently threatened to quit the ruling coalition over objections to the ongoing digital census as well as if the Centre does not fulfill its promises of giving relief to flood victims of Sindh. Subsequently, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said in a news conference that the provincial government had conveyed its reservations about the ongoing digital census to the federal government, saying “if our reservations are not addressed, we will not accept the census results”. “The data of digital census should also be shared with the Sindh government,” Memon had demanded, saying PPP chairman has already publicly expressed the party’s reservations about the digital census. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had also raised the matter with the federal government and at various other forums, saying “now, we are waiting for the federal government to assuage these concerns”. In an attempt to address the reservations and to keep the PPP part of the ruling coalition, Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, decided to allow access to the dashboards of the 7th Population & Housing Census – The Digital Census – to provincial governments in the 8th meeting of Census Monitoring Committee held on March 11.