SHARIF CALLS FOR NATIONAL UNIT Y AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS

PR I M E M I N I S T E R Shehbaz

Sharif delivered a speech on Tuesday, emphasizing the need for unity among the nation and political parties to overcome the ongoing crisis and lead Pakistan towards a path of progress

During the inauguration ceremony of Margalla Avenue, the prime minister expressed his belief that the dream of a prosperous and developed Pakistan could only be achieved by setting aside differences, abandoning conspiracies and upholding the rule of law

He acknowledged Pakistan s abundant natural resources and highlighted the importance of harnessing the nation s talented minds and skilled workforce He emphasized that the key ingredient lacking was the collective will to act and although the task was challenging it was not insurmountable Sharif also acknowledged the delayed development projects in Islamabad and its surrounding areas due to the negligence of the previous government He expressed his commitment to the well-being and prosperity of the people and assured that all necessary initiatives were being taken to address the existing deficiencies

Reflecting on the previous year the Prime Minister noted the devastating im-

Sharif to attend new global financing pact summit in France

pact of natural calamities and political turmoil faced by the country He condemned the conspiracies hatched by political opponents against Pakistan, which became evident on May 9 He further commended the Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) former MP Hanif Abbasi and their dedicated team for their diligent work in completing the long-awaited Margalla Avenue project Drawing inspiration from his recent visit to Baku, the Prime Minister praised the well-maintained roads scenic landscapes and meticulous gardening he observed there He urged the Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan to organize a visit for his team to Baku to gain firsthand experience and implement similar practices in Pakistan Sharif also highlighted the signing of a momentous Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (C-5) worth $3 8 billion He lauded China s commitment to supporting Pakistan during challenging times and acknowledged the unwavering friendship of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, who also stood by Pakistan during difficult periods Addressing allegations made by his political opponents regarding kickbacks in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects the Prime Minister chal-

Erdogran telephones Shehbaz , condoles over loss of lives in Greece tragedy

lenged them to provide evidence before the courts He emphasized that the Chinese state-owned company had maintained the cost of the C-5 project as agreed upon in 2017-18 and had even provided a discount of Rs 30 billion upon his personal request

The Prime Minister praised former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for launching 5,000 MW energy projects during a time of severe power outages in the country, highlighting his dedication to addressing Pakistan s energy crisis Khan remarked on the importance of Margalla Avenue which connects new sectors of Islamabad with GT-Road, and commended the Prime Minister for inaugurating the road He also announced a historic Rs 20 billion package for the rural areas of the federal capital Abbasi speaking at the event expressed his admiration for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and emphasized their commitment to the welfare of the people He praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s reputation for his efficiency and service to the nation Later Prime Minister Sharif laid the foundation stone for the upgradation and rehabilitation project of Sikander e Azam Road He directed the relevant authorities to ensure the timely completion of the 7 5kilometre road which would connect Haripur district with Khanpur Dam at a cost of Rs3 5 billion

Zaka Ashraf, Mustafa Ramday nominated as members PCB’s Board of Governors

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to embark on a two-day official visit to France starting Thursday The visit comes as he has been invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to participate in the New Global Financing Pact Summit scheduled to take place in Paris The Summit serves as a platform for leaders to engage in discussions regarding the development of a new global architecture that can effectively address the challenges related to sustainable development financing environmental issues energy transition and the climate change agenda During the Summit Prime Minister Sharif will present Pakistan s perspective and put forth proposals for the reform of International Financial Institutions He will also address topics such as climate finance green infrastructure the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and debt-related solutions

Additionally he will engage in bilateral meetings with other world leaders on the sidelines of the Summit As the international community looks ahead to important upcoming events and conferences in the next two years this Summit aims to establish the principles and necessary steps for a comprehensive reform of the international financial system, the Foreign Office said in a statement Furthermore, it seeks to pave the way for a more equitable and balanced partnership between the North and the South it added S ta f f R e p o R t

Gov t announces Eidul A zha holidays

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday announced holidays on the occasion of Eidul Azha According to a statement issued by Cabinet Division, Eidul Azha holidays will be observed from Thursday, June 29 to Saturday July 1 The notification issued on Tuesday stated: “In continuation of Cabinet Division s Circular regarding Public and Optional Holidays for the year 2023 it is for general information that the Prime Minister is please to approve the public holidays on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha as follows 29th & 30th June 2023 (Thursday & Friday) for the offices observing five days working in a week 29th June to 1st July 2023

(Thursday Friday & Saturday) for the offices observing 6 days working in a week The announcement comes a day after Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad announced that Zil Hajj moon was sighted in Pakistan and Eidul Azha will be celebrated on June 29 (Thursday)

Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad made the announcement in Islamabad before the media after receiving moon sighting testimonies Eidul Azha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, is one of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son to God S ta f f R e p o R t

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday nominated former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf and Supreme Court advocate Mustafa Ramday for their appointment as members of the PCB Board of Governors (BoG)

The development comes a day after the PCB interim Management Committee chairman Najam Sethi pulled out of the race to become the board’s next chief

In a notification issued by the Prime Minister s Office on Tuesday the premier nominated two names, other than Sethi s, for PCB s Board of Governors

“The prime minister has seen and, in his capacity as patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board and in terms of Article 1011)(d) of the PCB s Constitution

2014 is pleased to nominate the following for appointment as Members on Board of Governors of PCB Muhammad Zaka Ashraf and Mustafa Ramday,” the notification said

The government’s notification recognised Ashraf and Ramday as former PCB chief and advocate Supreme Court respectively According to a report, the two nominations would complete the 10-member BoG with the remaining eight members of the body almost decided four representatives each from regions and departments

The body will vote for the election of the PCB s new chairman and put an end to the tenure of the board s interim Management Committee, which took charge in December last year after the ouster of former chief Ramiz Raja to re- voke the 2019 constitution of the board and replace it with the 2014 charter

Until late on Monday night Sethi was touted to be the PM s pick, before the 75-year-old announced his withdrawal from the mix

“Salaam everyone! I don’t want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif Sethi wrote on Twitter

Such instability and uncertainty is not good for PCB Under the circumstances, I am not a candidate for Chairmanship of PCB Good luck to all stakeholders ” he added

Alvi highlights economic diplomac y as key to trade boost

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

President Dr Arif Alvi highlighted the importance of economic and trade diplomacy as a means to enhance Pakistan’s exports and address economic challenges

During separate meetings with Pakistan s Ambassador-designate to Denmark Shoaib Sarwar and High-Commissioner-designate to Rwanda, Naeem Ullah Khan, President Alvi discussed the potential for collaboration and bilateral ties In his discussion with Ambassadordesignate Sarwar the President urged a focus on economic diplomacy initiatives, particularly in the dairy, agriculture, and information technology sectors He encouraged inviting Danish companies to invest in Pakistan and proposed partnerships in wind power and renewable energy President Alvi expressed confidence that recent ministerial exchanges would further strengthen the mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries Regarding High Commissioner-designate Khan s appointment President Alvi highlighted the significance of Pakistan s bilateral ties with Rwanda and emphasized the potential for cooperation in agriculture, food security, and

ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan telephoned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday and expressed his deep grief over the loss of precious lives of Pakistani nationals in Greece shipwreck tragedy on June 14 On behalf of the Turkish government and people, Erdogan conveyed condolences to the Pakistani nation and to the victim families The Turkish President prayed to Allah Almighty for the grant of patience to the bereaved families PM Sharif said the Pakistani government and the people thanked their Turkish brethren for their sentiments in this hour of grief S ta f f R e p o R t

Anti-corruption cour t allows post-arrest bail for Elahi in recruitment case

LAHORE: An anti-corruption court in Lahore on Tuesday approved the post-arrest bail application of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi the president of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party in a case pertaining to illegal recruitment in the Punjab Assembly Earlier this month, the former chief minister of Punjab was apprehended by the AntiCorruption Establishment (ACE) in Gujranwala The allegations against him involve accepting bribes amounting to Rs15 million during his tenure as the speaker of the provincial assembly These bribes were purportedly in exchange for making out-ofmerit appointments on BPS-17 positions within the assembly Following his arrest Elahi was placed in judicial remand for a period of 14 days Prior to the court s decision on his post-arrest bail petition, both the state prosecutor and Elahi s lawyer, Rana Intizar, presented their arguments On Tuesday, Special Judge Ali Raza Awan announced the court’s verdict granting the former Chief Minister post-arrest bail against surety bonds worth Rs1 million During the hearing Special Prosecutor Abdul Samad contended that Elahi was directly involved in the case and opposed his request for bail Conversely, Intizar maintained that his client had no involvement in the alleged misconduct Elahi currently held at the district jail in Lahore is yet to be released S ta f f R e p o R t

LHC accepts plea to remove PTI chief, AML chief, Ameer JI from par t y positions

human resource development

He encouraged the facilitation of importers and exporters and suggested exploring the Pakistani market for Rwandan businessmen

Additionally President Alvi called on the envoys to shed light on the human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) by India, as well as the persecution of minorities particularly Muslims and Christians The President s meetings reflected the importance placed on economic diplomacy and the pursuit of mutually beneficial partnerships to enhance trade and address key sectors’ development in Pakistan

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday accepted a petition seeking the removal of Chairman PTI, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid, and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq from their respective party positions Eradicating the objections of registrar office about plea the LHC forwarded the case before a full bench for further proceedings and deliberation The petition highlights that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has already disqualified Imran Khan, warranting the court to order his removal from the chairmanship position It further argues that both Sheikh Rashid and Sirajul Haq are fully aware of Imran Khan s disqualification, rendering their alliance with the PTI chief illegal Consequently, it asserts that Sheikh Rashid and Sirajul Haq should also be ousted from their party posts for unlawfully supporting Imran Khan The petitioner mentioned Imran Khan Sheikh Rashid and Sirajul Haq ECP Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others as parties in the case It is pertinent to mention here that on October 21, the ECP disqualified the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p) S ta f f R e p o R t

Greece shipwreck: Police nick another key suspec ted human trafficker

The Punjab Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested another key suspected in the Greece shipwreck tragedy case amid a vigorous crackdown launched on those involved in human trafficking – a multibillion dollar illegal business attracting crime syndicates around the globe

According to a police spokesperson, the suspect identified as Mumtaz Arain was arrested from Vehari district in southern Punjab He claimed the police seized important documents mobile phone data and other evidences from his possession

The mobile phone of Aslam another accused detained earlier was among the items recovered during the raid as the police are now handing over Mumtaz to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) – the department responsible for tackling crimes like human trafficking Pakistan has so far arrested over a dozen suspects from Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Karachi and other areas as investigation is under way to capture the main characters behind human trafficking Meanwhile the suspected smugglers arrested by the authorities in Greece are expected to face manslaughter charges in a Greek court this week promised to apprehend all the suspects involved in the boat tragedy in which only 104 people could