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Hello Jammu News at 9:36:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Mar 25 :  Pakistan has suspended all domestic flight operations until April 2 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus after the country reported nearly 1,000 cases from the COVID-19 infection, authorities said on Wednesday.

The nationwide tally of the COVID-19 patients has soared to 990 with 410 cases in Sindh; 110 in Balochistan; 296 in Punjab; 78 in K-P; 80 in Gilgit-Baltistan; 15 in Islamabad; and one in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, The Express Tribune reported.

The National Disaster Management Authority has said that so far 7 people have died due to the novel coronavirus and 18 recovered.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the country has halted its domestic flights operations.

According to a statement shared on the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority's website, the government has "decided to suspend all types of domestic scheduled/non-scheduled, chartered and private aircraft passenger flight operations with effect from Thursday, March 26, at 6:00am up to April 02, 2020."

Meanwhile, there is complete lockdown in the country and people have been told to remain inside of their homes. They are only allowed to go out in case of emergency.

The government has pledged to increase testing capability and other facilities in hospitals as new medical supplies are expected to start pouring in from China by Friday, according to NDMA chief Lt-Gen Muhammad Afzal.

According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker, there are 417,966 confirmed cases across the world, 18,615 deaths and 107,705 recoveries.

On Tuesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced a multi-billion stimulus package to combat the deadly coronavirus and to facilitate poor people in the prevailing circumstances.

The government also suspended all passenger train operations through the country till March 31 and deployed army to assist the civil administration to enforce a nationwide lockdown to contain the virus outbreak.

Khan said 200 billion rupees have been allocated for the labour class to mitigate their sufferings, while the government is also reaching provinces and the business community to extend their assistance.

He said the government was highly conscious of its responsibilities and it was due to various policies and steps that the coronavirus was still contained.
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Hello Jammu News at 11:52:00 PM 0
Indian Flag and Pakistan Flag


Islamabad, Jan 30 :  Pakistan on Thursday claimed that India is making "desperate attempts" to divert attention from the domestic and international criticism of the government's policies.

Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui also said that nobody should underestimate Pakistan's resolve to effectively thwart any aspiration of aggression against the country.

She urged the international community to take cognizance of the situation in Kashmir and said Pakistan is effectively raising the issue at the international level.

"Our missions abroad have also prepared a comprehensive plan to fully observe the Kashmir Solidarity Day (February 5) and draw world attention to the dispute," she said.

She also said that all measures were being taken for the assistance, safety and welfare of Pakistanis in China after the outbreak of coronavirus that has killed 170 people and infected 7,711 others.

"Our embassy and consulates in China have reached out to all the Pakistani students. We are also in touch with the Chinese officials who have assured us about the safety and wellbeing of our nationals," she said.

Pakistan on Wednesday said that four of its students have been infected with the coronavirus in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus.

Farooqui said that the Prime Minister has setup a high powered committee to constantly monitor the situation emerging from the outbreak of the virus.
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Hello Jammu News at 11:14:00 PM 0



Islamabad, Aug 8 :  Pakistan is ready to review its decision against India if New Delhi agreed to reconsider its actions on Kashmir, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Thursday.

Qureshi's remarks came a day after Pakistan expelled the Indian High Commissioner as part of its decision to downgrade the diplomatic ties with India over what it called New Delhi's "unilateral and illegal" move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan also announced that it will review all "bilateral arrangements" with India.

India has said Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and the issue was strictly internal to the country.

"Are they ready to review their decisions? If they do, we can also review our decisions. Review will be on both sides. That is what Simla (agreement) says," Qureshi said.

The foreign minister also replied in affirmative when asked about reducing the strength of diplomatic staff and restricting their movement. However, he did not elaborate on the issue as to how they will do it.

He also said Pakistan will legally examine the Simla agreement.

The Simla agreement signed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and then Pakistan President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in July 1972 was a comprehensive blue print for good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan.

The bilateral agreements with India would be reviewed by the special committee set up by the Prime Minister, he said. However, he did not specify which of the agreements would be reviewed.

Earlier, the Pakistan Railways Minister announced that the Samjhauta Express train service with India has been suspended.

"We have taken the decision to suspend Samjhuta train service," Qureshi said.

Rejecting India's assertion that Kashmir was its internal matter, Qureshi referred to India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and said, "Nehru announced on 14 occasions" that "future of Kashmir will by the goodwill and pleasure of Kashmiri people." 

Qureshi said that Pakistan would take the issue of Kashmir to the UN Security Council. He said that he would go to China soon to consult on the recent developments in the region.

He also said that news reports about closure of Pakistani airspace was not true. "Pakistan has not closed airspace It is fake news," he said.

The Kartarpur initiative would continue despite rising tensions, he added.

"Our commitment on Kartarpur stands. We respect all religions and will not create hurdles in people-to-people to contacts," he said.

Qureshi also clarified that Afghan trade will not be damaged due to Pakistan's action against India.

"Afghan trade will not be impacted by Pakistan decision to suspend trade with India. Our commitment with Afghanistan stands," he said.

He rejected India's assertion that the latest measures were taken for socio-economic development of the region. "It meant that for the last 70 years no development has been done in Kashmir," he asked.

Qureshi said Pakistan never shied away from talks with India. "Pakistan welcomes any effort by the international community to arrange talks between Pakistan and India," he said.

He said that he talked to EU high representative Federica Mogherini and informed her about the implications of the Indian decision to revoke special status of Kashmir.

He rejected the media reports that Pakistan was complicit with the US in the recent developments in Kashmir and said US has already declared that India did not inform it about its Kashmir move.

Qureshi said Pakistan was vigilant and would take safeguards needed for security.
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Hello Jammu News at 11:55:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Aug 4  :   Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan convened a meeting of the National Security Committee on Sunday to discuss issues pertaining to national security in the wake of developments in the region.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan announced this in a series of tweets on Sunday.

She said that the political leadership of Pakistan needs to come on the same page and "send a message of unity and solidarity".

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday asked Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Secretary General Dr. Yousuf Ahmed Al-Othaimeen to take notice of the situation in Kashmir, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

Secretary General of OIC assured the Foreign Minister for taking notice on situation and to extend full cooperation.

Earlier Sunday, chairing an emergency consultative meeting at the Foreign Office in Islamabad, Qureshi alleged that Indian "designs are an attempt to disrupt the regional peace       [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 10:39:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Jul 19 :  Pakistan's anti-graft body on Friday filed a new case of corruption against former president Asif Ali Zardari for allegedly being involved in transfer of billions of rupees to a company, co-owned by him and his son Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, through fake bank accounts.

According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Zardari, who is also the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman, had acquired Karachi-based real estate firm Park Lane Estate Company (Pvt) Ltd illegally through a front man in 1989. 

In 2009, Zardari and Bilawal became shareholders of the company.

The NAB claimed that billions of rupees were transferred to the company through fake bank accounts. The company also took loans of billions of rupees from banks using the political clout of Zardari, it claimed.

The 63-year-old husband of the country's first woman prime minister Benazir Bhutto was arrested by NAB officials in the Park Lane case on July 1. He was already in NAB's custody since June 10 after the Islamabad High Court dismissed his pre-arrest bail petition in the fake accounts case.

According to the NAB, Zardari is being investigated for his alleged involvement in extending loans and other misappropriation by Parthenon Private Limited, Park Lane Estate Private Limited and others. 

Zardari's sister Faryal Talpur was also arrested in the fake account case. 

The 11th president of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013 has denied any link with the fake accounts. He has said the allegation was part of a vilification campaign by Imran Khan-led ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to malign the Opposition leaders.
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Hello Jammu News at 10:42:00 PM 0


Islamabad, July 08   :   Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has severely criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan and demanded his resignation, the media reported on Monday.

In a post-midnight rally on Sunday in Mandi Bahauddin, the 45-year-old opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President, raised slogans against Khan and said that the 66-year-old cricketer-turned-politician does not have any legitimate right to rule Pakistan.

Addressing Khan in her speech, she said: "Give your resignation! Go home!" and urged the crowds to chant along with her, Dawn news reported.

Maryam also said that keeping her 69-year-old ailing father Sharif in jail will be a crime now, following Saturday's "evidence" alleging that his sentencing had been given under "immense pressure from hidden hands", a claim rejected on Sunday by the presiding judge, Arshad Malik.

In her address, which was held on Jail Road, she claimed that Sharif "will be released, and will become prime minister once more - but this time more powerful than ever before".

At a press conference in Lahore on Saturday, Maryam said that the entire judicial process regarding the trial that led to her father being convicted and sentenced to prison was severely compromised.

She also played a secretly recorded video that she claimed featured a conversation between Nasir Butt, a man she described as a loyal fan of Sharif, and Malik, who had in December last year sentenced Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference and acquitted him in the Flagship Investment case. 

But on Sunday, Malik rejected Maryam's allegations, saying that Sharif was convicted on the basis of evidence.                                       [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 9:41:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Jul 1 :  Pakistan's anti-corruption body on Monday arrested jailed former president Asif Ali Zardari in another corruption case.

He is already in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) till July 2 in a multi-million dollar money laundering case along with his sister Faryal Talpur.

According to the NAB, the duo made transactions of Rs 150 million through alleged fake bank accounts.

The NAB investigators are of the view that if Zardari's physical remand, which ends on Tuesday, is not extended by the court, they would require another option and could use the arrest warrants in the Park Lane case to keep him in NAB custody for longer, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The 63-year-old co-chairman of the Opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and husband of the country's first woman prime minister Benazir Bhutto was this time arrested in the Park Lane case which is related to the alleged properties in London.

Zardari became the co-chairman of PPP after the assassination of Bhutto in 2007.

His arrest came after he withdrew his interim bail applications filed with the Islamabad High Court against.

Zardari said that he withdrew the plea as the NAB would come up with more fake cases if he was granted bail.

Last week, he appeared in Parliament for the first time after being arrested and called for an end to his arrest, saying it would not make a difference rather create fear among the people.

The NAB is expected to seek his remand in the Park Lane case.

Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur were already facing charges of using fake accounts to park multi-million dollar money and sending it abroad. Both were arrested last month and both have denied the charges.

His political career has been overshadowed by the allegations of corruption due to which he has spent several years in custody although he was never convicted.

Zardari, the 11th President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013, has denied any link with the fake accounts. He has said the allegation was part of a vilification campaign by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party to malign opposition leaders.
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Hello Jammu News at 1:46:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Mar 1 :  Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday announced that he will not attend a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) being hosted by the United Arab Emirates over the grouping's failure to rescind the invitation to his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. 

Swaraj has been invited to the OIC meeting as a guest of honour despite strong protest from Pakistan. Qureshi informed Parliament that he would not be attending the conference in the UAE on March 1-2. 

Reiterating his protest against the OIC's decision to invite to Swaraj to attend the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi, Qureshi said he will not attend the session due to the inter-governmental organisation's failure to rescind the invitation to his Indian counterpart. 

Mentioning that the "UAE has always helped Pakistan in difficult times", Qureshi noted with regret that despite Pakistan's protest, the OIC's invitation to Swaraj was not rescinded. 

"There was no consultation over the OIC invitation to Indian foreign minister. India is neither a member nor an observer of the OIC," Qureshi pointed out, adding that he sent two letters - the latest by Friday - to the UAE calling upon the body to withdraw its invitation to the Indian foreign minister. 

Qureshi informed Parliament that he requested the OIC to either rescind the invitation or postpone the session in view of the prevailing situation, neither of which was done. 

"I have [therefore] decided not to attend OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Abu Dhabi," the foreign minister announced.

However, a lower-level delegation from Pakistan will attend the OIC session, Qureshi said. The delegation will also staunchly oppose any move to grant observer status to India at the OIC. 

Qureshi's remarks came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the February 14 Pulwama attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) that left 40 CRPF personnel dead and forced India to conduct airstrikes on JeM's training camp in Pakistan's Balakot.                   [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 4:19:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Feb 27 :  Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday called a meeting of the top decision making body on nuclear issues after India targeted terrorist camp in the country.

The National Command Authority controls policy formulation, exercises, deployment, research and development, employment and operational command and control of the country's nuclear arsenals.

The decision to call the NCA meeting was taken on Tuesday in the meeting of National Security Committee - a civil-military top level body that discussed the situation after the Indian attack. 

Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in a suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14, sparking outrage in the country.

Following the incident, India on Tuesday bombed and destroyed JeM's biggest training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 80-km from the Line of Control (LoC) early Tuesday, killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders. 

The joint session of Parliament has been called today (Wednesday) to discuss the tension with India and formulate a national response. 

The parliamentary leaders will also be given an in-camera briefing by the government on the situation after India's strikes.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi alleged the Indian government is issuing threatening statements in the aftermath of Pulwama incident on the pretext of terrorism just to divert the world opinion from rights violations in Kashmir.

Qureshi said that Pakistan reserves the right to take an appropriate action in self-defence.   [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 4:09:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Feb 27 :  Pakistan on Wednesday claimed that it shot down two Indian military aircraft over Pakistani air space and arrested one of the pilots.

Military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed in a tweet that one of the aircraft crashed in Pakistan occupied Kashmir while the other fell in Jammu and Kashmir. 

"One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area," he said without elaborating.
         [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 12:52:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Feb 26 :  Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called an "emergency meeting" Tuesday after India carried out air strikes across the LoC and destroyed terror camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Qureshi will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan after the meeting in which he will discuss the security situation with high-level officials.

Sources here said that Qureshi summoned the "emergency meeting" at the Foreign Office for consultations.

In New Delhi, sources said that India is believed to have carried out air strikes inside Pakistan early Tuesday and targeted terror camps.

The strikes involving several fighter jets of the Indian Air Force successfully destroyed camps belonging to Pakistan-based terror outfits in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the sources told.

Earlier, the Pakistan Army alleged that the Indian Air Force (IAF) violated the Line of Control (LoC) in Muzafarabad sector.

"Indian aircraft intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage," Major General Asif Ghafoor, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a tweet.

"Indian Air Force violated Line of Control Pakistan. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircraft gone back," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Pakistani media was reporting that the Indian government has staged a symbolic intrusion due to domestic pressure.

Prime Minister Khan has not commented on the issue.                         [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 11:41:00 AM 0


Islamabad, Oct 11 (PTI) Pakistan President Arif Alvi sacked a high court judge on Thursday after a high-level constitutional body recommended his removal for making a scathing speech against the country's powerful spy agency ISI.

The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) had recommended to remove Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, who was facing a case of alleged misconduct over his controversial speech targeting the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Justice Siddiqui while addressing the Rawalpindi District Bar Association on July 21 had alleged that the ISI was manipulating judicial proceedings to constitute panel of judges to get favourable decisions.

The army had asked the chief justice of Pakistan to take the notice of the remarks after IHC chief justice Anwar Kansi rejected the allegations against Siddique.

The matter was referred to the SJC, which is the body to take up complaints against judges of higher courts and also recommend punitive actions including removal from judiciary.

A five-member SJC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing the case.

The SJC after hearing the case issued its decision on Thursday, asking Prime Minister Imran Khan to remove Siddique as his conduct was unbecoming of a judge.

The Council is unanimously of the opinion that in the matter of making his speech...Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, Judge, Islamabad High Court, Islamabad had displayed conduct unbecoming of a judge of High Court and was, thus, guilty of misconduct and he is, therefore, liable to be removed from his office, the panel said.

The 39-page opinion of the SJC was penned by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.

Later, the law ministry issued a notification that President Alvi removed Siddiqui as IHC judge in the light of recommendations of the SJC.

Siddiqui's lawyer Hamid Khan said that though there is no provision of appeal against the decision of the SJC but he will take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Siddiqui is the second judge removed by SJC since removal of Justice Shaukat Ali of Lahore High Court in 1973 for corruption.

Most of the judges have opted to tender their resignation to avoid an SJC inquiry. However, Justice Siddiqui opted to face the charges of misconduct.

The proceeding of the case against judge Ali went on for 10 months.

Interestingly, cases of misconduct against chief justice Nisar and three other judges of Supreme Court have been with the SJC for a long time but no proceeding has taken place. But the case against Siddiqui was decided after preliminary hearing held in-camera.

Siddiqui is the second senior most judge of the IHC and was in line to become chief justice of IHC in November when incumbent Kansi is set to retire.

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Hello Jammu News at 6:05:00 PM 0

Islamabad, Oct 8: Pakistan's Supreme Court Monday started hearing the final appeal against the execution of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death in a blasphemy case.

Asia Bibi was accused of committing blasphemy in 2009 and was convicted in 2010. Her appeal against the death sentence was rejected by the Lahore High Court. She had filed the final appeal to the Supreme Court against the original conviction.

A special three-member bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel took up the appeal of mother of five against the execution.

Asia Bibi's lawyer Saiful Mulook briefed the court that the case based on verbal clash between Bibi and a group of Muslim women was filed by a prayer leader of Katanwala in Nankana Sahib. He said the June 14, 2009 incident was reported on June 19.

"Are these things on the record?" the chief justice asked.

Mulook said no permission to file the FIR was taken from the district coordination officer or the district police officer, which was against the law.

The lawyer also highlighted the contradictory statements of the Muslim women witnesses.

"What we can conclude from your statements is that the prayer leader himself did not witness the incident as it happened," Justice Khosa observed. "No blasphemous language was uttered in the presence of the prayer leader."

"According to the prayer leader, a panchayat [to discuss the matter] was held in a house. It was said that 1,000 people were gathered for the meeting," Dawn reported, quoting the chief justice.

Asia Bibi and two Muslim women had a heated exchange, the lawyer told the court. The reason behind it was that the women had refused to drink water from the same dish as Asia Bibi.

The statements of the Muslim women, Asma and Isma, are contradictory, the lawyer said.

Chief Justice Nisar wondered whether the assistant superintendent of police's probe could be relied upon, to which the lawyer replied that police had wrongfully registered the case, according to Asia Bibi.

"The witness testimonies did not state that she had used blasphemous language for the Quran," he said.

"No blasphemous words were used at all. Asia, in her statement, said that she could not even conceive of committing blasphemy," Mulook was quoted as saying by the paper.

"She simply had an argument with two women. During that argument, they exchanged harsh words," the lawyer said.

Asia Bibi's case hit the headlines after former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who spoke out in support of her, was killed in 2011 in Islamabad by his police guard Mumtaz Qadri who was executed in 2016 for murder.

Asia Bibi's supporters maintain her innocence and insist it was a personal dispute, and the Vatican has called for her release.

The apex court last time took up her appeal in October 2016, but had to adjourn it without hearing after one of the judges recused himself.

If the apex court bench eventually upholds Asia Bibi's conviction, her only recourse will be a direct appeal to the president for clemency.

If that fails, Asia Bibi could become the first person in Pakistan to be executed under blasphemy laws which were enacted by former military ruler Zia-ul Haq in 1980s.

Asia Bibi has already spent eight years in prison and her family has been subjected to continuous threats and harassment. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 1:50:00 PM 0

Islamabad, Oct 8: A team of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is set to hold meetings with top Pakistani officials on Monday to discuss the measures taken by Pakistan so far to counter money laundering and terror financing.

The nine-member delegation, comprising members of FATF's Asia Pacific Group (APG), arrived here on Sunday on a 12-day visit to see the implementation of the action plan Pakistan had issued earlier this year, official sources said.

The team includes experts from British Scotland Yard, US Department of Treasury, Financial Intelligence Unit of Maldives, Indonesian Ministry of Finance, Peoples' Bank of China and Justice Department of Turkey.

Pakistan was formally added to the 'grey list' of countries involved in providing monetary assistance to terrorism and related causes after a FATF meeting in Paris in June.

The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

Sources in the finance ministry said that "Pakistan has done its homework" and the delegation will be briefed about the measures to curb terror financing through money laundering and illegal remittances.

The team will carry out on-site inspections in order to see the systems and mechanisms put in place while its three members will stay for longer period to review progress on the 10-point action plan agreed with Pakistan.

Pakistan and FATF negotiated a 10-point action plan to be implemented by September 2019 to get out of the grey list.

Already, a team of FATF visited in August to identify deficiencies in Pakistan's anti-money laundering/counter-terror financing laws and mechanisms.

During the current visit, the experts will meet officials from ministries of Interior, Finance, Foreign affairs and Law.

They are also likely to meet officials of State Bank of Pakistan, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, National Counter-Terrorism Authority, Federal Investigation Agency, Federal Board of Revenue, National Accountability Bureau, Anti-Narcotics Force, Financial Monitoring Unit, Central Directorate of National Savings and provincial counter-terrorism departments. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 4:05:00 PM 0

Islamabad, Oct 3: In a U-turn, Pakistan has announced that its close ally Saudi Arabia would not join the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, days after Islamabad said Riyadh will be the third "strategic partner" of China's flagship project, the Belt and Road Initiative.

The CPEC is the flagship project of the multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a pet project of President Xi Jinping aimed at enhancing China's influence around the world through China-funded infrastructure projects.

Minister for Planning and Development Khusro Bakhtiar told media on Tuesday that the cash-rich kingdom's proposed investments would fall under a separate bilateral arrangement, Dawn news reported.

"Saudi Arabia is not to become a collateral strategic partner in the CPEC. This impression is not true," he said.

A third country can participate in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by taking part in the business and investment ventures arising out of the project, Bakhtiar said.

"The framework between China and Pakistan is bilateral and Saudi Arabia is not entering that framework as a third-party investor, rather the base of the CPEC will be broadened and its pace will be expedited," he said.

Last month, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that Saudi Arabia is the third "strategic partner" of the CPEC, soon after Prime Minister Imran Khan returned from his first foreign trip to the kingdom.

Interestingly Chaudhry was sitting with Bakhtiar when he issued clarification that Saudi Arabia participation in the CPEC was not as third partner in the project.

Bakhtiar further said that there was no decision to bring a third country, like Saudi Arabia, under the framework of the CPEC.

He was responding to questions about the possibility of Saudi Arabia becoming part of the Joint Working Groups or Joint Coordination Committee on the CPEC.

Bakhtiar said there could be many offshoots of the CPEC where third countries could be involved in trilateral arrangement for infrastructure development, like China-Pakistan-Japan, China-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia or China-Pakistan-Germany.

The minister dodged questions when asked how the cost of Main Railway Line (ML-I) had been reduced by USD 2 billion from USD 8.2 billion to USD 6.2 billion as claimed by Railways Minister Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed.

"I have noticed this today that Sheikh Rasheed is making some efforts (to reduce the cost) but not to my knowledge. Nothing has come in front of me to suggest that the cost has come down," he said.

Bakhtiar said the CPEC portfolio currently stands at about USD 50 billion, of which about USD 6 billion was government-to-government loan and remaining in Independent Power Producers mode mostly in the energy sector. About USD 29 billion worth of projects were currently in progress.

He said the CPEC had far bigger potential than USD 50 billion and would keep expanding with time as new projects come up but the previous government treated and played it like a T-20 match instead of a five-day test series and focused mostly on projects which could be completed during its tenure.

Currently, a Saudi delegation is in Pakistan for initial assessment to capitalise on the Pakistani offer.

India has opposed the CPEC project and protested to China as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:47:00 PM 0

Islamabad, Sep 26: India has postponed the scheduled inspection of its two hydropower projects on the Chenab river by Pakistani experts following the fresh tension in bilateral ties and cancellation of foreign ministers' meeting in New York, according to a media report here Wednesday.

The Indian authorities postponed the inspection by Pakistani experts and said that it would not be possible due to the local-body elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Dawn news quoted a source as saying.

After the bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty last month in Lahore, India rejected Pakistan's objections on the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydropower projects on the Chenab river and invited Pakistani experts to visit the sites to address their concern.

The experts were scheduled to inspect the two hydropower projects by October but India cancelled it, citing some local issues, the report quoted the source as saying.

"It seems to be a fallout of the recent tension emerging with the cancellation of the talks by India as other issues are normally affected in a larger context in such situations," the senior official, on condition of anonymity, said.

India called off the meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and the release of the postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

The source said the Indian delegation had agreed to get the two projects inspected by Pakistani experts this month.

"Through a letter, India confirmed October 7 to 11 for the inspection of the projects by a three-member Pakistani team headed by the Indus Water Commissioner," he said.

India said that since the administration of the respective districts in Kashmir would be busy holding the local-body elections till October 5, the inspection would only be possible from October 7 to 11, the source said.

"But now the Indian authorities have postponed the scheduled inspection, stating it wouldn't be possible due to holding of Panchayat elections in the state by the respective district administrations. They didn't give us new dates as they just stated to coordinate with Pakistani authorities soon," he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters Mehr Ali Shah expressed disappointment over the postponement and said that when something is mutually agreed at the state level, it should not be delayed or deferred on petty issues.

"Postponement of our visit for inspection of India's two hydropower projects at Chenab basin is an element of surprise for us despite the fact that the delegation, which visited Lahore and held meeting with us last month, had agreed to allow us inspection of the same in the last week of the ongoing month. Later, they confirmed October 7 to 11. But they further postponed this schedule," Shah said.

"We request our counterparts to fulfil their commitment they had made during their visit to Lahore last month," he said.

The talks on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Lahore last month was the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Imran Khan became Prime Minister on August 18.

India and Pakistan signed the IWT in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.

The water commissioners of Pakistan and India are required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to projects' sites and critical river head works.

The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:20:00 PM 0

Islamabad, Sep 20: Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan has written a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, the Foreign Office said here Thursday, seeking to re-start the bilateral talks on key issues "challenging the relationship" including on terrorism and Kashmir.

In the letter dated September 14, the cricketer-turned-politician, who became the prime minister last month, proposed a meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this month.

"Building on the mutual desire for peace between our two countries, I wish to propose a meeting between Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, before the informal meeting of the SAARC foreign ministers at the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York," Khan wrote.

Pakistan and India have an "undeniably challenging relationship", he said, while responding to Modi's letter to him on August 18.

In the letter to Khan, Modi conveyed India's commitment to pursue "meaningful" and "constructive" engagement with Pakistan and emphasising the need to work for a terror-free South Asia.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said on Twitter: "PM (Imran Khan) has responded to PM Modi, in a positive spirit, reciprocating his sentiments. Let's talk and resolve all issues. We await formal response from India".

In the letter to Modi, Khan wrote: "We, however, owe it to our peoples, especially the future generations, to peacefully resolve all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, to bridge differences and achieve a mutually beneficial outcome".

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief thanked Prime Minister Modi for his "warm greetings" and best wishes on his assumption of charge as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

The two ministers (Qureshi and Swaraj) could explore the way forward, Khan said, adding that the SAARC Summit in Islamabad "will offer an opportunity for you to visit Pakistan and for us to re-start the stalled dialogue process".

Ties between India and Pakistan nose-dived following a spate of terror attacks on Indian military bases by Pakistan based terror groups since January 2016. Following the strikes, India announced it will not engage in talks with Pakistan, saying terror and talks cannot go hand-in-hand.

Amid heightened tension with Pakistan over Uri terror attack in which 18 soldiers were killed, India had pulled out of the SAARC Summit to be held in Islamabad in November, 2016. The summit was called off after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also declined to participate in the meet.
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Hello Jammu News at 6:04:00 PM 0

Islamabad, Sep 11: Pakistan on Tuesday summoned India's acting Deputy High Commissioner to protest the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" across the Line of Control by the Indian forces that resulted in the death of a Pakistani villager.

Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal, who is also the foreign ministry spokesman, summoned the Indian diplomat and "condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control on September 10," the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.

The firing in the Khanjar Sector along the LoC resulted in the death of the civilian on Monday, it said.

The FO alleged that the Indian forces have carried out more than 2,050 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the death of 33 innocent civilians, while injuring 122 others.

"This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations," it alleged.

"The deliberate targeting of civilian population areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation," the statement said.

Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement; investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations; respect the ceasefire and maintain peace on the LoC.

He also urged the Indian side to allow the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

India maintains that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the LoC.  (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 12:27:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Sep 10 :  Pakistan on Monday rejected a media report that Prime Minister Imran Khan's newly elected government plans to renegotiate the agreements reached under China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and said the country remains committed to the successful implementation of the CPEC.

The Financial Times report quoted Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood as saying that the multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor had put local companies at a disadvantage and that parts of the flagship project can be renegotiated or even frozen for a year.

The CPEC, launched in 2015, is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking China's resource-rich Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan's strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea. It is a part of the BRI.

Dawood's reported interview came a day after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his three-day official.

During his stay in Pakistan, Wang met the country's top leadership, including the prime minister.

The Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) said that during the meetings, Pakistani leadership conveyed that the CPEC was a national priority for the government and "Pakistan remains committed to the successful implementation of CPEC."

The spokesman said that there was complete consensus on the future trajectory of the CPEC between Pakistan and China.

"The two sides agreed to work together towards implementation of the ongoing projects and agreed to expand CPEC to new areas of cooperation including socio-economic development; poverty alleviation, anti-corruption, agricultural cooperation and industrial development as per the needs and priorities of the government of Pakistan," the FO said.

The two sides had in-depth exchange of views on all issues of mutual interest. The visit provided an opportunity to the two sides to reaffirm their "all-weather strategic cooperative partnership", it said.

Ministry of Commerce and Textile in a statement said that the The Financial Times' article is "based on a statement taken out of context .

"The statement attributed to the Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Textile (Dawood) have been taken out of context and distorted. Pakistan-China relations are impregnable and the government's commitment to the CPEC is unwavering, the ministry said.

Chinese embassy in a statement said that it took notice of the report in The Financial Times.

"Such ill-intentioned reports based on distorted and misquoted information only demonstrate that the report contributor has total ignorance and neglect of the CPEC or China-Pakistan traditional partnership," it said.

"It is a firm consensus between China and Pakistan that CPEC is a mutually beneficial project and both the governments will carry it forward according to the needs of Pakistan and for the development of Pakistan," it said further.PTI

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Hello Jammu News at 4:43:00 PM 0

Islamabad, Sep 3: Pakistani lawmakers are set to choose a new President on Tuesday, an election in which the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party's candidate is expected to win as the Opposition parties failed to field a joint candidate.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday completed preparations for the election. Polling stations have been set up in all four provincial assemblies in addition to the National Assembly. Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza Khan will serve as the Returning Officer.

Outgoing President Mamnoon Hussain's tenure ends on September 8. He had declined for re-election to a second 5-year term.

Three candidates -- ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Arif Alvi, the Pakistan Peoples Party's Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and Jamiat-e-Ulema (F) chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman -- are in the race.

Alvi is a Karachi-based dentist-turned-politician, who reportedly stood by prime minister Imran Khan during his political career.

The joint Opposition was to field a single candidate to give tough time to Alvi and but failed to do so. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) last month nominated renowned lawyer and veteran politician Ahsan as a candidate.

Other opposition parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Muttahida Majlis-e-Aml (MMA) opposed the move. As the differences persisted, they nominated Rehman.

The Opposition parties excluding the PPP met in Lahore on Sunday to discuss the presidential elections. Rehman sought the support of PML-N to convince PPP to withdraw its nominee.

He asked the PPP to withdraw its candidate and avoid damaging the joint Opposition.

PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the division in the ranks of the Opposition will only benefit the ruling party.

He also hinted that the PPP could meet incarcerated former premier leader Nawaz Sharif to get his party's support for Ahsan.

The PML-N has opposed the candidature of Ahsan as he had used harsh language against Sharif.

Since the controls the National Assembly and has majority in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab and has support of the ruling Party in Balochistan, its candidate Alvi is in strong position.

But the Opposition parties are in majority in Senate. A joint opposition candidate can change the whole game, if he gets the support of some back-benchers or disgruntled lawmakers.

At least two lawmakers have recently criticised its leadership for neglecting them.

Being the highest elected official, president is a symbol of the federation in Pakistan but exercises powers on the recommendations of the prime minister.
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