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Monday, 27 March, 2023 I 5 Ramzan, 1444 Quetta court hands over Hassaan Niazi to Lahore police on transit remand

PTI’s politics all about creating chaos, unrest in country: Maryam

Govt working out details of cross-subsidy, how much can beneficiaries expect to save?

‘Anti govt, PTI’s PR’: PM terms President’s letter as partisan in nature

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Rs 40.00 | Vol XIII No 268 I 40 Pages I Islamabad Edition

No PersoN comiNg for flour should leave emPty-haNded: Pm g

MULtAN/BAHAWALpUr

staff report

rIMe Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday undertook visits to various free wheat flour (Atta) distribution points in Multan and other districts of south Punjab and ordered officials to extend maximum assistance to the elderly and differently-abled people at these centers. elderly, disabled persons and women should get free Atta bags without any trouble, the prime minister said during his visit to the free Atta centre set up at the District Sports Ground in Multan. Shehbaz asked the officials to lift the Atta bags for elderly and differently-

abled persons who cannot lift the 10-kg bag and help them reach their bicycle or motorcycle. At this, the officials informed the prime minister that they have been already deputed to extend whatever help the elderly people, women and disabled persons needed. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over the process and lauded the Multan administration for making the best arrangements at Atta distribution points. Shahbaz Sharif said the people should not face difficulties during the month of ramzanul Mubarak. The prime minister also talked to the people gathered at the district sports ground including the differently-abled persons and asked them if they were

DIreCTS FOr FACILITATING eLDerLy, DIFFereNTLy-ABLeD PerSONS AT DISTrIBUTION POINTS reVIeWS PrOCeSS, ArrANGeMeNTS DUrING VISIT TO MULTAN AND BAHAWALPUr

facing difficulties in getting free flour bags and the level of facilities at the Atta distribution centres. Shehbaz Sharif issued orders to the local administration to take immediate measures to resolve complaints of the people on the spot. The prime minister also went to the counter set up exclusively for differentlyabled persons and talked to them for some time. The differently-abled persons thanked the prime minister for extending free flour facility to the impoverished segments of society. Shehbaz witnessed the process of distribution of free flour bags at the centre and emphasized that officials should supervise the operation personally and extend maximum assistance to differently-abled persons, elderly people particularly women so that they can get free bags of wheat flour without any trouble. Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Commissioner Multan Amir Khatak, regional Police Officer Suhail

PML-N to eradicate ‘Imrani Fitna’ with power of vote: Sanaullah iSLAMABAD staff report

Interior Minister rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s plan is to eradicate “Imrani Fitna” with the power of vote. Talking to a private news channel he said that the Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Niazi was responsible for the current political instability and chaos that has spread in the country at the moment, while the responsibility of whatever result will be on him alone. “From 2014 till today, Imran was on the same agenda that the country would suffer chaos”,

he added. Minister said that Imran Khan took all unconstitutional measures to end the political existence of PML-N during his regime, because according to him, the biggest problem of Pakistan was the opposition and every person who was disagreed with him. Keeping in view the seriousness of the internal country’s affairs, he said in response to an anchor’s question, “Point of No return”, that we invited Imran to the Charter of economy, but we were vilified in return. PTI chief refuses to accept differences of opinion, while he has turned politics into enmity,” he added.

On the question about Azhar Mashwani, he said that political propaganda is being done by Imran Khan on this issue. He questioned regarding the transparency in elections if held in phases, “No one would believe in the results of elections and this would further create another political crisis”, he concluded. A day earlier a, in an interview with PNN News, Sanaullah said: “In my opinion, Imran Khan does not believe in democracy and democratic traditions. He does not believe in having a peaceful political environment in this country. He has turned politics into enmity.

IMF urges ‘vigilance’, warning of increased financial instability profit afp

International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva warned on Sunday that risks to financial stability had increased and stressed “the need for vigilance” following the recent turmoil in the banking sector. Speaking at a forum in Beijing, the IMF managing director said she expected 2023 “to be another challenging year”, with global growth slowing to below 3.0 per cent due the war in Ukraine, monetary tightening and “scarring” from the pandemic. “Uncertainties are exceptionally high,” with the outlook for the global economy likely to remain weak over the medium term, she told the China Development Forum. “It is also clear that risks to financial stability have increased,” she added. “At a time of higher debt levels, the rapid transition from a prolonged period of low interest rates to much higher rates — necessary to fight inflation — inevitably generates stresses and vulnerabilities, as evidenced by recent develop-

ATTENTION Some readers have complained that they are not getting the magazine with their newspaper copy. Please call or WhatsApp us at the following number to register a complaint. Contact: 0307-7338168 irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk

ments in the banking sector in some advanced economies.” Her comments came after the financial sector was shaken by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the enforced takeover of Swiss bank Credit Suisse by rival UBS, leading to fears of contagion. Bank shares tumbled on Friday as fears about the health of the financial sector resurfaced, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz forced to give reassurances about Deutsche Bank after the long-troubled lender became a focus of investor concerns. Georgieva said policymakers had acted decisively in response to financial stability risks. “These actions have eased market stress to some extent, but uncertainty is high which underscores the need for vigilance,” she said. The IMF chief, however, pointed to China’s rebound as a bright spot for the world economy. The IMF forecasts China’s economy to grow 5.2pc this year, driven by a rebound in private consumption as the country reopens after its pandemic isolation. “The robust rebound means China is set to account for around one third of global growth in 2023 — giving a welcome lift to the world economy,” she said. “A 1.0 percentage point increase in GDP growth in China leads to 0.3 percentage point increase in growth in other Asian economies, on average — a welcome boost.” Georgieva urged China’s policymakers to seek to raise productivity and rebalance the economy away from investment and towards more durable consumption-driven growth. “Market-oriented reforms to level the playing field between the private sector and stateowned enterprises, together with investments in education, would significantly lift the economy’s productive capacity,” she said.

fiqah-e-hanfia

lahore sehr: 4:37 aM iftar: 6:20 PM

islaMabad sehr: 4:37 aM iftar: 6:28 PM

karachi sehr: 5:13 aM iftar: 6:46 PM

fiqah-e-jafaria lahore sehr: 4:27 aM iftar: 6:30 PM

Ahmad, and Deputy Commissioner Omar Jahangir were present on the occasion. He directed the Chief Secretary that no person coming for free flour should leave empty-handed. The Commissioner and DC informed the prime minister that 75 counters have been set up at Multan centre which they described as the biggest centre in south Punjab. They said that 20,000 Atta bags of 10 kilograms would be distributed among the poor and over 6500 bags had already been distributed by mid-day, today. They said that sheds were set up for the people and adequate arrangements for drinking water were in place. The officials also briefed the prime minister on ramazan Package and arrangements made for its implementation. ‘Arrangements for distribution of free flour bags reviewed’ earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday arrived here to review the arrangements for the distribution of free

islaMabad sehr: 4:27 aM iftar: 6:38 PM

karachi sehr: 5:03 aM iftar: 6:56 PM

flour bags among the deserving people under PM’s ramzan relief Package. The prime minister inspected the distribution point at Abbasyia School and inquired about the process, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. He also interacted with different people, especially the aged ones and females and listened to their complaints. The prime minister directed the relevant authorities to take care of the elderly and physically handicapped people. He also inspected a free medical camp set up by the district administration. earlier, the prime minister had visit to Lahore, Kasur and Sargodha to review these arrangements. PM links political, economic challenges with PTI govt’s failed policies Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that current political, governance and economic challenges had their roots in the failed policies of the previous government of Imran Niazi.