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Posts published in “Pak Media Report”

Crossing red lines in Quetta

Editorial in Dawn, October 28th, 2020IN Quetta, the Pakistan Democratic Movement ventured into forbidden territory. At its Gujranwala and Karachi rallies, the PDM leaders highlighted the people’s economic hardships and the misery caused by skyrocketing prices of essential food items and medicines, and rightly so. But it was at the mammoth gathering in Balochistan’s capital last Sunday that the speakers also addressed the issue of enforced disappearances, and gave voice to the grief of the…

A Dark Day: edit in The Nation, Oct 28, 2020

It is one of those dark days for the country again—a bomb blast took place at the Jamia Zuberia madrassa in Peshawar’s Dir Colony, killing eight people and injuring more than 110. Four of the deceased were students between the ages of 20 to 25, who had been taking Quran classes at the seminary. Police superintendent Rajab Ali of the counter-terrorism department confirmed this incident as a blatant act of terrorism. Prime Minister Imran Khan…

Attack in Peshawar: edit in The News, Oct 28, 2020

We see it all once again. When the coffins are lifted, they will be filled with a weight that is once again unbearable to carry for those who take them to their graves. In Peshawar’s Dir Colony, at least eight people were killed and more than 110 injured in an explosion on Tuesday morning at the Jamia Zuberia madressah. All those killed are thought to be young men aged between 19 and 40 years. Children…

‘PDM will not talk to PTI over suspension of rallies’

report in The News, Oct 28, 2020SUKKUR: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Central Ameer of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and head of the PDM, on Tuesday said that he was deeply saddened over the Peshawar incident. He strongly condemned the cowardly incident in which children were targeted in a religious seminary. He expressed his sympathies to all the heirs of martyrs and families of the injured. He said that if the government and security agencies cannot provide security to…

NAB keeps mum over Kh Asif’s ‘secret’ meeting with Shehbaz

by Zulqernain Tahir in Dawn, October 28th, 2020LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is tight-lipped over the ‘secret’ meeting of PML-N senior leader Khwaja Muhammad Asif with Opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif in the bureau’s Lahore office over a week ago, sparking speculation that the Sharifs’ party is still in contact with the powers that be for ‘negotiations’ on certain matters. PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif was in NAB’s custody over a week ago…

PPP seeks govt explanation over FATF issue

by Amir Wasim in Dawn, October 28th, 2020ISLAMABAD: Lashing out at the government for its internal and external policies, the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has asked the former to give an explanation over the Financial Action Task Force issue and tell parliament as to what more is needed to be done to bring the country out of the FATF grey list. “Come and explain what more is required [to be done]. We will help.…

Govt’s incompetence costs Rs404 bn to people, country

report in The News, October 28, 2020KARACHI: Despite the government’s claim to have focussed on sugar and wheat, both edibles have so far been most vulnerable, causing an estimated Rs404 billion loss to the people. The recent research conducted by the Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ke Sath, shows that not complying with the government’s policies, the sugar price surged and caused a dent of Rs184 billion to the people, while due to unnecessary…

‘Second coronavirus wave has begun in Pakistan’

report on The Express Tribune, Oct 28, 2020ISLAMABAD: Fears of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic starting in the country have come true and the return of strict restrictions to curb the spread of the disease has become inevitable, the prime minister’s aide on health said on Tuesday. Around 400 to 500 [coronavirus] cases were being reported in the country every day in the country a few weeks ago. This has gone up to…

CPEC group includes three more highways in project

report in Dawn, October 27th, 2020ISLAMABAD: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s (CPEC) Joint Working Group on Transport Infrastructure on Monday included three more highways in the corridor project. According to the National Highway Authority (NHA), it was 8th meeting of JWG on transport and infrastructure and it is expected that the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting of the CPEC, which is the biggest forum to decide about CPEC, will be held next month. The three projects…

Pakistan becomes importer of major agri goods

by Salman Siddiqui in The Express Tribune, Oct 27, 2020Pakistan has become a net importer of some of the major agricultural produces from being an exporter about a couple of years ago, as the government’s lack of focus on agronomy is costing the nation a high price for kitchen and textile goods. “We exported wheat until fiscal year 2018-19 and sugar till last year (FY20),” Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) Vice President Syed Mahmood Nawaz Shah…

IMF keeps govt on a tight leash

by Shahbaz Rana in The Exporess Tribune, Oct 27, 2020ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to relax the conditions for a mini-budget and increase in electricity prices at least till March next year after Prime Minister Khan again shot down both the proposals due to already high prices. About 10 days ago, the Ministry of Finance had sought the prime minister’s approval for these steps to restore the $6 billion IMF programme…