During his recent visit to Pakistan, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani offered Prime Minister Imran Khan his country’s cooperation to transform five big airports of Pakistan. As per reports, Qatar will help replace outdated systems and infrastructure with modern technology and will provide financial support for the process to modify them on model of Qatar airport.
A day before Judge Arshad Malik is set to appear before Supreme Court in a case pertaining to investigation of the controversial secretly taped video of him, the judge has requested the law ministry to provide him ‘foolproof security’. Citing life threats to his family and him, Malik pleaded law ministry to not withdraw current security detail assigned to him.
Supreme Court’s order of removing service/maintenance charges on pre-paid mobile scratch cards has now been implemented. Users will now receive Rs88.9 on Rs100 mobile scratch card compared with Rs76.94 previously. Mobile phone service providers were told by the court that they could apply a 12.5 per cent withholding tax. However, they had to abolish 10pc administrative/service charges.
Reko Diq mines, known for their enormous reserves of gold and copper are believed to have the world’s fifth largest gold deposit in them. The news of the treasures this mine holds is not new, as gold diggers have been attempting to explore it since 1992. It was not until 2000, that the Tethyan Copper Company made its way into Pakistani market.
A recent investigation report by Daily Mail alleges that Shehbaz’s son-in-law, Ali Imran, embezzled about £1million from a fund established to rebuild the lives of 2005 earthquake victims. Britain’s Department for International Development gave £54 million in aid money to this fund. The report also gives details of how the Sharif family laundered millions, received via kick-back in different projects, to UK.
The International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has announced a massive $5.976 billion (Rs944.21 billion) award against Pakistan in the Reko Diq case, which is one of biggest in ICSID history. ICSID awarded a $4.08 billion penalty and $1.87 billion in interest. However, Pakistan has decided to challenge the award “very soon” by filing a revision application.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has launched the “Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan SME Lending Programme,” worth Rs100 billion for startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Citizens aged between 18 and 45 years may avail financing of up to Rs5 million each at a borrowing cost varying between 6% and 8% for a maximum period of eight years.
Accountability judge Arshad Malik has claimed that he was offered a Rs500 million cash bribe by the son of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Hussain Nawaz, who demanded that the judge resign on the grounds that he “could no longer deal with the guilt of having convicted” Nawaz under duress in the Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment reference.
The Islamabad High Court decided to remove accountability judge Arshad Malik from his post following a controversy revolving around the ‘leaked’ video tape of the judicial officer. The IHC judge directed the registrar office to write a letter to the law ministry regarding relieving judge Malik of his post and repatriating him to the parent department, the LHC.
An accountability court in Islamabad has summoned Maryam Nawaz on July 19 over the use of a bogus trust deed in the Avenfield properties case. Maryam was summoned after the NAB moved an application before accountability judge Mohammad Bashir. NAB Deputy Prosecutor General filed the application, seeking action against Maryam Nawaz for producing a bogus trust deed during her hearing.