Prime Minister Imran Khan has said Pakistan would not use nuclear weapons first against India. At the first International Sikh convention, PM Imran projected himself as leader of a responsible nuclear state, whereas Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has hinted at changing his country ‘no-first use’ nuclear policy. PM Khan reiterated that he would continue to raise his voice for people of Indian-Occupied Kashmir.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) management has laid off nearly 1,000 surplus employees in order to reduce operational cost. The staff which has been termed “redundant” by PIA President Arshad Malik, was laid off on cost cutting recommendations of Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh. Dr Sheikh asked PIA to effectively utilise its assets, improve revenue streams and ensure efficiency and financial discipline.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice President Shixin Chen, who is on his first official two-day visit to Pakistan, met Prime Minister Imran Khan and “reaffirmed ADB’s support for Pakistan’s development priorities”. ADB plans to provide $7 billion to Pakistan for “various development projects and policy-based programmes” over the next three years aimed at developing the country’s social protection, urban services, and energy security.
In order to ensure smooth flow of traffic during peak hours, the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has banned entry of heavy travelling vehicles (HTV) in the federal capital for seven hours on daily basis. Entry of heavy traffic in the city would not be allowed from 7 am to 10 am and from 4 pm to 8 pm for maximum convenience for road users.
Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella and all-rounder Thisara Perera are not keen on traveling with the team to Pakistan for 3 ODIs and T20I series. Both players have sought permission for their participation in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which will be played from 4th of September, clashing with the dates on which the Sri Lankan team will be touring Pakistan.
The government is ready to establish a mobile phone manufacturing plant in Haripur in collaboration with the private sector, dropping the idea of privatizing the Telephone Industry of Pakistan (TIP). To fully realize the potential of IT sector, talks are underway with five to six different Chinese companies for establishing a mobile handset manufacturing plant.
National anthems of Pakistan and Kashmir will be played at noon on Friday in line with the government’s move to observe ‘Kashmir Hour’ every week, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) ) Director General Major Gen Asif Ghafoor. Sirens would also blare during the hour at 12pm. DG ISPR also appealed to the country’s youth to participate in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) govt’s initiative.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is mulling over complete closure of airspace and to prohibit the use of Pakistan land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan, said the Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry. “Legal formalities for these decisions are under consideration… #Modi has started we’ll finish,”! Fawad Chaudhry said in a Tweet following the federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad.
The United States has further cut Pakistan’s aid by $440 million, bringing down its commitments under Kerry Lugar Berman Act to just $4.1 billion, which is slightly over half of the total amount that Washington had promised to give nine years ago. The decision to cut Pakistan’s economic assistance, was revealed about three weeks before visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to US.
The Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M-5) which is part of the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project has been completed and will open for public this month. The motorway – stretching over 392 kms will reduce the duration of journey between the two cities from 6 hours to 3-3.5 hours. The mega project is completed at a cost of around Rs294 billion within 3 years.