A central figure in FIA’s Rs16 billion money laundering case against the Shehbaz Sharif family, Malik Maqsood Ahmad — frequently referred to as Maqsood ‘Chaprasi’ — has passed away in the UAE. Maqsood died of a cardiac arrest on June 6. He was 49, according to a death certificate issued by UAE authorities. Special Prosecutor Bajwa said Maqsood’s death would not impact the money laundering case.
Bahria Town Chairman Malik Riaz on Sunday said that an audio clip attributed to him on social media was fake. Riaz’s statement came after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders played an audio tape — purportedly a conversation between the Bahria Town chief and his daughter – revealing how Farah Gogi ‘demanded a gift’ for former first lady Bushra Bibi.
The government on Friday increased the defence budget for the outgoing fiscal year by nearly 6% to over Rs1.45 trillion. The decision was taken in a bid to meet the needs of the armed forces, including their enhanced salary requirements. The Ministry of Defence had demanded an additional Rs80 billion defence budget for “critical shortfalls”.
Despite passage of over 50 hours and use of 800,000 gallons of water, the fire in the basement of ‘illegally’ built warehouse of a famed departmental store had not been completely controlled until Friday evening, admitted officials. The store is located in a multi-storey building (Summaya Bridge View) in PECHS Block-3 near Jail Chowrangi on Shaheed-i-Millat Road.
The counsel for the Federal Investigating Agency (FIA) confirmed to a special court in Lahore on Saturday that the agency wanted to arrest Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, in a Rs16 billion money laundering case. The court also reissued the arrest warrants for suspects Suleman Shehbaz, Tahir Naqvi and Malik Maqsood in the case.
Popular bus-sharing service Swvl announced on Thursday that it would be “pausing” daily rides within Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Faisalabad from Friday (June 3) “in light of the global economic downturn”. The announcement comes as the government has increased the prices of petroleum products by Rs30 per litre in a move aimed at placating the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for an economic bailout.
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Thursday announced that the federal government has decided to raise the prices of all petroleum products barring one by another Rs30 — just a week after making a similar increase. After the latest round of hikes, petrol will be priced at Rs209.86, diesel at Rs204.15, kerosene oil at Rs181.94 and light diesel at Rs178.31.
Security agencies picked up a man from the hostel of the Punjab University on Wednesday, purportedly in connection with the Karachi University (KU) suicide blast case. Bebgar Imdad, a student of the seventh semester of English Literature in Numl, Islamabad, and a native of Kech, was visiting his relative in Hostel No 7.
Four people, including three Chinese nationals, were killed while several others sustained injuries in a car explosion on the premises of the University of Karachi. Several rangers officials have also reportedly sustained injuries. The explosion was initially reported to have been caused by a gas cylinder. However, the police later said that the blast could have been a suicide attack.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will land in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah along with 16 members of the Sharif family. In this regard, the Foreign Office has directed the Pakistani Embassy in Saudi Arabia to make preparations. PM Shehbaz Sharif will also be accompanied by 16 coalition members, including party leaders.