The National Security Committee (NSC) has said that there was no foreign conspiracy to topple the Imran Khan-led government. Reportedly, the NSC examined the “contents of the communication” shared by the ambassador and “reaffirmed the decisions of the last NSC meeting”. The meeting of the NSC, which is the highest forum for coordination on security issues, was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Ex-prime minister Imran Khan on Monday responded to the Toshakana controversy and said they were his gifts, so it was his choice whether to keep them or not. “Mera tohfa, meri marzi [my gift, my choice],” the PTI chairman told reporters during an informal conversation. “Whatever I took from Toshakana is on record. I purchased the gifts after paying 50% of the cost,” Khan said.
An Anti-Terrorism court in Lahore has sentenced six people to death after convicting them for their roles in last year’s vigilante killing of a Sri Lankan factory manager accused of committing blasphemy. The court also gave life sentences to nine people, five years’ jail to one, and two-year sentences to 72, according to a statement from the public prosecutor. Eight of those sentenced were juveniles.
Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has administered the oath to federal ministers and ministers of state, who will form the cabinet of newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Thirty-one federal ministers and three ministers of state and as many advisers to the PM took the oath. The oath-taking ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran at the President House.
Pakistan, formed in 1947, featured in their first-ever Olympics at the London 1948 Summer Games. However, it took the country eight years to win its first Olympic medal. Pakistan has won 10 medals at the Summer Olympics. However, only two of these are individual medals. Pakistan’s Hockey team has won eight of these medals, including the only three golds under the country’s name.
After weeks of economic turmoil, the island nation of Sri Lanka announced default on all of its $51 billion external debt after running out of foreign exchange for imports. Colombo called the move a “last resort.” The nation is grappling with its worst economic downturn since independence, with regular blackouts and acute shortages of food and fuel.
After its Foreign Office Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith tweeted in support of Imran Khan, the UK government distanced itself from his stance saying that Goldsmith’s remarks did not represent the UK government’s position. Downing Street stopped short of rebuking the Tory peer for his comments, but confirmed that UK government “would not get involved in the domestic political affairs” of Pakistan.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the interior ministry to issue a diplomatic passport to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Shehbaz Sharif after assuming charge of his office got a briefing from the diplomatic staff about the issuance of a passport to Nawaz and Ishaq Dar. However, the diplomatic staff said only Sharif can be issued a diplomatic passport, not Dar.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested a “mastermind” and at least six others members of his network for alleged attempt to ‘malign’ the Pakistan army. The group was involved in launching a Twitter trend against the Pakistan Army and security institutions, following recent political developments in the country. The drive against the security institutions began with the ouster of Imran Khan as the prime minister.
Newly appointed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called an urgent meeting on Tuesday with leading economists, to discuss in detail the current dire economic situation facing the country. PM Sharif reached the office at 8am, ahead of official office hours, and announced a change in the working hours of government offices. The offices are now to start their day at 8am instead of 10am.