The government has released more than 100 Taliban prisoners as part of a “goodwill gesture”. The release follows the Taliban’s announcement of a ceasefire earlier this month. Most of the Taliban prisoners freed by the government were being de-radicalized and rehabilitated in government-run institutions. According to one official, most released inmates have not completed the six-month mandatory de-radicalization and rehabilitation program.
In a statement on Monday, the IMF confirmed that it has reached an agreement with Pakistan, which will help revive the country’s stalled US$6 billion financing program. This agreement will support Pakistan’s plan to progress economically. The IMF announced in a statement that the Pakistani authorities and IMF staff reached an agreement on policies and reforms needed for the sixth review.
Navjot Singh Sidhu, the chairman of the Punjab Congress, visited the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan on Saturday. The leaders prayed and emphasized the “opening of a new friendship chapter” between the two countries and trade. Kartarpur corridor links Guru Nanak Dev’s final resting place, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, in Pakistan. Former cricketer and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu called the premier his older brother.
The PTA lifts a ban on TikTok after nearly a five-month suspension to control “immoral/indecent content.” PTA remained in communication with the management of TikTok following the imposition of the ban on 20 July 2021. The senior management of the platform has committed to taking the necessary steps to control illegal content.
Prime Minister Imran Khan discussed the importance of overseas Pakistanis on the occasion of launching the digital portal for overseas Pakistanis. PM Imran Khan encourages overseas Pakistanis to invest in Pakistan. Ultimately, he believes Pakistan will no longer need the IMF if it is able to attract a few thousand Pakistanis from abroad.
The government of Pakistan has removed from a new criminal law a clause that allowed chemical castration for serial rapists as a punishment. Maleeka Bukhari, parliamentary secretary for law, said chemical castration will be removed from the criminal code. A state-run body, the Islamic Ideology Council, has ruled chemical castration un-Islamic.
Officials in Islamabad announced on Thursday that Pakistan to train Afghan aviation personnel in air traffic control and airport operations. The announcement came after Afghanistan’s interim foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, visited Pakistan last week. Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson, Asim Iftikhar, confirmed Islamabad is prepared to assist Afghans in professional capacity development in relevant fields, including aviation.
Shibli Faraz, Minister of Science and Technology, has announced a million rupee prize for anyone who hacks the Pakistani electronic voting machine (EVM). According to him, the Ministry will challenge hackers to hack the EVMs. Furthermore, he stated that the EVM was the most convenient way to cast a vote. He recommended that the ECP avoid being in a controversial position.
After reopening the Kartarpur Corridor on Thursday, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi visited Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Narowal. The Punjab CM was accompanied by several ministers. Channi announced his intention to visit Kartarpur Corridor immediately after the announcement by the Indian government on Wednesday. According to reports, Navjot Singh Sidhu, the president of the Indian Congress Punjab has arrived at the Kartarpur Corridor.
In a joint session of parliament yesterday, the government approved 33 bills despite protests from opposition parties. It includes the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trail) Bill 2021, which grants chemical castrations to rape convicts. According to JI lawmaker Mushtaq Ahmed, the bill is un-Islamic and against Sharia. Ahmed suggested rapists be hanged in public, as the Islamic legal system does not allow such punishment.