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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    More than 50 miners were trapped after a huge explosion in a coal mine in northern Iran on Wednesday, and some were feared to have died, state media reported.
    The reports said more than a dozen injured people had been transferred to hospital after the blast at 12:45PM local time in the Zemestanyurt coal mine in Golestan province.
    State news agency IRNA quoted a local official as saying some of the trapped miners may have died in the explosion. A rescue operation was under way.
    Iran extracted 1.68 million tons of coal in 2016, an increase on previous years, thanks to an easing of international sanctions. It exports only a fraction of the coal and uses most of it in domestic steel production.


  2. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The worst media trial was conducted for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family over the Panama case, said Minister for Railway Khawaja Saad Rafique on Wednesday.
    The damage by the trial has been done, the railway minister said.
    “Everyone is equal in the Constitution,” he added. “But no one has held the opposition accountable for time and again disregarding the court’s decision.”
    He added Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan even altered the Supreme Court’s decisions during the speeches in his public gatherings. “PTI officials hassled outside the court, despite clear instructions from the Supreme Court.” Rafique was referring to the apex court’s order that party leaders should not gather outside the court.
    The opposition leaders are not a “sacred cow”, the railway minister maintained.


  3. Waqas Dar
    TEHRAN: Iran's president must get a second term to secure the economic benefits that he promised would result from a diplomatic thaw with the West, Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar said ahead of a May 19 election.
    Hassan Rouhani's hardline challengers for the presidency, some of whom are close to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, say he traded away too much in a 2015 deal with world powers that limited Iran's nuclear work but failed to deliver sufficient rewards.
    In a rare interview with a trio of foreign reporters at an EU-Iran business forum on Sunday, Ebtekar, one of Iran's 12 vice presidents, said voters should not give up on Rouhani.
    "He needs more time ... He has to be given a chance to be able to continue his program," said Ebtekar, one of Iran's most prominent women politicians.
    "Rouhani has done a lot to overcome some of the hurdles that the investors find when they are coming," she said in a nod to concerns over red tape and opaque rules voiced by foreign companies that Iran hopes to attract.
    As a young woman, Ebtekar was the face of the radical students who occupied the US Embassy and held its staff hostage for 444 days at the time of the 1979 Islamic revolution.
    Known as "Mary", she spoke in calm, fluent English to the world's media, putting the hostage-takers' side of the incident that remains a painful memory for the United States and is one of the reasons Washington considers the Iranian Republic a pariah state.
    At 56, she is now firmly in the reformist camp, endorsing Rouhani's vision of a freer society and diplomatic detente after the lifting of sanctions under the deal he engineered.
    If hardliners describe the nuclear deal as a limited engagement with the West on a single issue, Ebtekar sees it as the beginning of a new era of international engagement to realize what she says are the hopes of Iran's younger generation to end its long isolation.
    HIGH EXPECTATIONS
    "There is a lot being done which is creating a lot of hope and optimism but at the same time the expectations for the nuclear deal are still very high," said Ebtekar, her smiling face framed by a traditional black chador over a turquoise scarf.
    With unilateral US sanctions still in place, Ebtekar said voters understood that it was not Rouhani's fault that the nuclear deal had yet to improve their daily lives.
    "They understand that mostly the problem is coming from outside. Our government has done its share ... now it is up to our partners in the deal to do their share as well.
    "This opening up will create a better atmosphere, and I hope that they will – particularly countries like the United States – will stand up to their commitments," Ebtekar said.
    Ayatollah Khamenei's scepticism over Rouhani's detente policy is echoed by his strongest challenger, Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric seen as a possible future supreme leader, who says Iran has no need of foreign help.
    Ebtekar, however, said the election is Rouhani's to lose, pointing to parliamentary polls in which the conservatives lost ground. The alliance of moderates and reformists that helped carry him to power in 2013, she said, "gives him a very strong position."
    Ebtekar rejected the view of Western and Gulf Arab states that Iran is an aggressor in the Middle East, saying it has peaceful intentions but also had the right to defend itself from foreign threats.
    Iran's backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the militant Lebanese group Hezbollah and alleged support for Yemen's Houthi fighters has put it at odds with the United States and regional rival Saudi Arabia.
    "We are looking forward to play our role to promote peace and also security in the region," Ebtekar said.
    "But it's natural for the people living in this region to defend themselves, it's very natural for Lebanon to defend itself, Syria, the Palestinians. So defense is another issue."
     


  4. Waqas Dar
    LAHORE: 50 Pakistani students, along with their teachers, on an exchange program to India were sent back to Lahore on Tuesday after they received threats from extremist organisations.
    According to Indian media reports, the students who reached India on May 1, were sent back home only within a day, after threats were made to the host NGO for inviting the students.
    Reportedly, the NGO has been advised by Indian government officials that the time is unfavourable for the exchange program.
    Indian media claimed that the students were threatened by Shiv Sena, after ties between the two countries deteriorated.
    India has accused Pakistan of killing and mutilating the bodies of two Indian soldiers across the Line of Control.
    The students were a part of the cultural exchange program and on a five-day visit to India. The students after the intimidation from extremists were terrified and remained inside their rooms.
    They reached Wagah border safely today.
    Pakistan Army had categorically rejected Indian Army’s accusations of killing two members of an Indian army patrol near LoC.
    “Pakistan Army did not commit any ceasefire violation on line of control or a BAT action in Buttal sector (Indian Krishna Ghatti Sector) as alleged by India. Indian blame of mutilating Indian soldiers' bodies are also false”, an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement had said.


  5. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Former information minister Pervaiz Rashid said on Wednesday that he fulfilled his responsibilities in the Dawn Leaks issue within the ambit of the Constitution.
    Talking to Geo News after a ceremony held here to mark the International Day for Journalists, Rashid said that he informed the journalist Cyril Almeida of the actual situation as much as he could and gave his own point of view on the matter too, but “he had already made up his mind”.
    The story, published in Dawn newspaper on October 6, 2016 by Almedia, had stirred a major controversy last year resulting in Almeida coming under fire from the military and government and being temporarily placed on the Exit Control List.
     “Rejection of news on my part would have not changed his point of view in any way,” Rashid added.
    “On the Dawn Leaks issue, I did what is done in a democratic society,” he said.
    Commenting on the criticism meted out to him for not having done enough to stop the news from publishing, Rashid said that if the state wants an information minister whose job is to stop news from publishing then universities should start offering a “How to block a news” course.
    The former minister added that he cannot comment before the full Dawn Leaks report is published, and will give his point of view after he has seen charges against him.
    Also Read: Information Ministry taken back from Pervaiz Rashid over 'planted story'
    The report regarding a meeting of the National Security Committee alleged the existence of a rift between the military and the civilian government on the issue of tackling jihadi outfits.
    Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took back the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage from Pervaiz Rashid on October 29, weeks after the military's top commanders said a 'false and fabricated' newspaper report breached national security.
    According to a statement from the PM's office, the premier had directed Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid to step down to enable holding of an independent and detailed inquiry into the episode.


  6. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Javad Zarif called on the Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on Wednesday and discussed matters pertaining to bilateral relations and regional issues.
    The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction on increasing high-level exchanges between the two countries to strengthen bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.
    He hoped that the two sides will continue to expand economic interaction for promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, energy, and connectivity.
    He underlined the need for concerted efforts from both sides to achieve the target of five billion dollars in the bilateral trade as soon as possible.
    The issues of peace and stability in the region also came under discussion during the meeting.
    On the tragic incident that took place in the Iran involving martyrdom of 11 Iranian border security guards on 26th of last month, the Prime Minister conveyed Pakistan's serious condolences to the government and people of Iran.
    The Iranian Foreign Minister thanked the Prime Minister and the government of Pakistan for continued efforts for strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing interaction in all areas including trade and economic cooperation as well as border and security issues.
    He also conveyed the desire of the Iranian leadership and the government for continued efforts for growth in bilateral ties.
    Earlier, the Iranian foreign minister also held a meeting with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
    During the meeting, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said Pakistan-Iran relations are rooted in common faith, history, and geography.
    Calling Iran a fraternal country, Nisar assured the dignitary that no hurdle will be allowed to come in the way of better relations between the two countries.
    Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said his country attaches great importance to its relations with Pakistan.
    The minister said that Iran believes in the unity of Muslim countries and stressed the importance of both Pakistan and Iran working together for resolution of problems faced by the Ummah.
    Zarif noted that the two countries also need to move forward with consensus on matters of international importance.
    The foreign minister is accompanied by a high-level delegation and will also hold talks with Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
    The meetings are likely to discuss the situation arising from recent terrorist attacks on Iranian border guards.
    Several other matters including bilateral ties, regional situation, counter-terrorism measures along Pak-Iran border, gas pipeline project and SAARC summit are also expected to come under discussion during the meetings.
     


  7. Waqas Dar
    A TV series following an ex-convict embroiled in a battle between ancient mythological gods and new man-made deities has tapped into a timely discussion of America's own history of race, religion, and immigration.
    American Gods, an adaptation of British author Neil Gaiman's 2001 novel of the same name, is reimagined as a stylised gritty saga. It debuted on US premium cable network Starz this week.
    With gruesome killings and some explicit scenes, the show has been compared to HBO's hit medieval fantasy series Game of Thrones, but it explores underlying themes of how religion became a part of the fabric of America through its immigrants.
    "The use of the gods was … to talk about the way people come to America and abandon culture, abandon places they came from and what they brought with them, and what happens to the things they've forgotten," Gaiman told Reuters.
    American Gods follows Shadow Moon, who has been released from prison to the news that his wife, Laura, was killed along with his best friend. On his journey home to bury her, he meets Mr Wednesday, once known as the powerful Norse god Odin, but now a grifter hustling on the strength of his charm.
    Shadow, hired as Mr Wednesday's bodyguard, is thrown into a surreal world, where magic and power lurk just behind the fabric of reality. Tension brews among the old gods, which include those drawn from Norse, African, Arabian, and Indian mythology, and new gods, such as Technical Boy and Media.
    "One clear thematic from the book is religious equality and tolerance, and that was something that Michael and I wanted to portray," said Bryan Fuller, who created the show with Michael Green.
    The TV adaptation features a racially diverse cast, and its exploration of race and immigration collides with present-day tensions in America. Fuller said American Gods was written and filmed before the November election of US President Donald Trump, who has sought to crack down on illegal immigration and act more aggressively to deport illegal immigrants living in the United States.
    But, he added, it reflects the changes within the nation. The show depicts stories of immigrants coming to America over the course of history and adding their traditions to the melting pot of cultures.
    "We always look at immigration in a positive light because it represents the best of what America is made of," Fuller said.


  8. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan has alleged that both Tariq Fatemi and Rao Tehsin were made scapegoats to save Maryam Nawaz, who he believes was the one responsible for Dawn Leaks.
    Aitzaz, in his statement earlier on Wednesday, claimed that the media cell of Prime Minister’s daughter Maryam Nawaz tapes even the most confidential meetings.
    Recalling the All-Parties Conference hosted by PM Nawaz Sharif last year, Aitzaz said the meetings held behind closed doors during the conference were all recorded by Maryam Nawaz’s media cell.
    “I remember, when the PM called APC last year, even our most confidential meetings were taped by her [media cell]. We complained about it later, but no action was taken and the matter was discarded,” the PPP leader said.
    Aitzaz remarked that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar was right in declaring the tweets as poison for Pakistan’s democracy, and called on the interior minister to get Maryam’s tweets blocked.
    “If he has courage, Nisar should get Maryam’s tweets blocked,” the senator said.
    Last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved the recommendations of the Dawn Leaks Inquiry committee, ordering the withdrawal of Fatemi's portfolio and sanctioning Rao Tehseen Ali, the principal information officer at the Information Ministry.
    The PM's order said Tehseen Ali would be proceeded against under the E&D rules 1973 on the charges based on the findings of the report.
    The PM's order added that the editor of Dawn Newspaper, Zaffar Abbas, and reporter Cyril Almeida will be referred to the All Pakistan Newspaper Association (APNS) “for necessary disciplinary action.”
    The PM also ordered that APNS be asked to develop a code of conduct for the media, "especially when dealing with issues relating to the security of Pakistan and to ensure that stories on issues of national importance and security are published by abiding to basic journalistic and editorial norms".
    But, in a tweet by the DG ISPR shortly after the PM's order, the Pakistan Amry rejected the government notification, saying it was "incomplete and not in line with recommendations by the Inquiry Board."
    In a letter to his colleagues at the Foreign Ministry, Syed Tariq Fatemi denied all allegations regarding his role in the Dawn Leaks saga, which led to his removal as the Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs.
    "As a fellow member of the Foreign Service family, I reject recent allegations, insinuations and innuendos. Such suggestions are particularly hurtful to someone who has served Pakistan for nearly five decades with honour and integrity," writes the senior diplomat in the letter addressed to all officers of the Foreign Affairs Ministry at headquarters and Pakistan Missions abroad.
    "Over the years, I have had to deal with many sensitive matters, becoming privy to some of the most highly classified information, on issues of national security.
    "I have also had the honour of working directly under distinguished diplomats, both professional as well as political appointees, all of whom reposed their highest trust in my abilities and particularly so, in my lifelong commitment to discretion. You would appreciate that taking due care and caution becomes a second nature in our professional careers," writes Fatemi in the letter.


  9. Waqas Dar
    Temperatures in the country are suddenly on the rise, and Pakistanis are looking hither and thither for some relief from the sweltering heat – obviously!
    While there is nothing that can be done to control the weather, we can look for smalls tricks to avoid the frustration – as well as short tempers.
    So, we have compiled a few tips for you to cool down.
    1. Schedule outings during non-peak-sunlight hours

    The heat is at its peak between the times when the sun gains complete reign of the skies – around 10 AM – and when it start skirting the boundaries – after 4 PM. It is, therefore, wiser to not go out during these five hours to make sure you stay safe from a heatstroke.
    2. Smart car parking, caps, and shades

    If you really do have to go out in the aforementioned hours, take note of three things you must follow. Park your car in an area where direct sunlight is least likely to hit your vehicle (for this, you have to educate yourself about the sun’s movements).
    Keep a baseball cap handy, and wear it alongside your sunglasses whenever you step out. This means that even if you park your car far away from the destination – in an area where there’s shade – you can walk easily without the sun frying your brains.
    3. Pedestal fans

    Make use of those pedestal fans that your mom has stuffed away in the storeroom. You might need an extension cord but place it strategically so that the fan is nearer and gives you most of the cooling. It will be especially helpful if, like many other people, you sleep under a sheet or comforter.
    4. Ice packs and cold sheets

    While some may already know of it, a clever move is to place ice packs under your mattress at least 20-30 minutes before you hit the sack. This will provide ample time for the ice packs to cool down your bed and for you to clean up any water that has seeped down to the floor.
    Also, keep your sheets in the refrigerator half an hour before you go to bed. It will be enough for you to enjoy the coolness until you drift to sleep and not cold enough to have your teeth chattering.
    5. Wet towels

    Use wet towels to wipe your face, neck, arms, and the underside of your feet right after you enter your house. It is also an ingenious method for those who are lazy to take regular showers.
     
    6. Drink More Water!

    Last but not the least, drink at least two liters of water every day. A small tip to make sure you keep your water intake regular – and not down all two liters at once – is to keep a jug or bottle on your bedside table, and a 500ml bottle with you when going out.
    7. Cold Feet therapy

    To reduce heat, try to maintain your internal temperature by this easy and quick cold feet therapy. All you need to do is put some cold water in the bucket along with some ice cubes and keep your feet inside the bucket for 20 minutes. The human body has pressure points under their feet which help to maintain certain body functions. This therapy definitely works during the heat wave.


  10. Waqas Dar
    Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] goes before a U.S. judge on Wednesday to fight for the right to continue work on its self-driving car program, the latest phase in a courtroom battle over trade secrets that threatens to topple a central pillar of Uber's growth strategy.
    The ride-services company is contesting a lawsuit by Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) self-driving car unit, Waymo, which accused former Waymo engineer and current Uber executive Anthony Levandowski of taking technical secrets from Waymo and using them to help Uber's self-driving car development.
    If it were proven that Levandowski and Uber conspired in taking the information, that could have dire consequences for Uber, say legal and ride-hailing industry experts. Uber's $68 billion valuation is propped up in part by investors' belief it will be a dominant player in the emerging business of self-driving cars.
    At issue on Wednesday is Waymo's demand that U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup in San Francisco issued an injunction barring Uber from using any of the technology that Waymo said was stolen. If Alsup issues a broadly worded order against Uber, it could all but shut down Uber's self-driving car program while court proceedings continue.
    Alsup is not expected to rule immediately on Wednesday, but he may intimate which way he is leaning. At a hearing last month, Alsup warned Uber that it may face an injunction, saying of the evidence amassed by Waymo: "I've never seen a record this strong in 42 years."
    Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick has said that autonomous vehicles, though still in their infancy, are critical to the company's long-term success and future growth.
    Indeed, autonomous cars promise to change the economics of the ride-hailing business. Among Uber's biggest expenses is the cost of attracting drivers, who have a high turnover rate. And Uber's ability to expand into suburban and rural markets, and areas with low vehicle ownership, and continue to offer a ride within three minutes, largely hinges on the availability of a network of self-driving vehicles.
    "This is central to Uber," said Arun Sundararajan, a professor at New York University and author of the book "The Sharing Economy," noting that Uber has more at stake than some of its rivals.
    "If Google can't launch their self-driving car for 10 years instead of five, this will be a little blip in Google's multibillion-dollar revenue. Uber is the one that really depends on it."
    Uber has faced a string of setbacks in recent months, including allegations of sexual harassment from a former employee and the public release of a video of Kalanick berating an Uber driver. The company, though still growing strongly, is losing hundreds of millions of dollars a quarter, according to information the company released last month.
    "Any big setback here would likely hit its valuation hard," said Jan Dawson, an Uber analyst with Jackdaw Research. A blanket ban on Uber's autonomous efforts "would certainly stall its efforts for a while and put it even further behind Waymo and others."
    Uber has self-driving tests underway in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Arizona. It started work on the technology six years after Google began.
    Other industry watchers say that Uber, which has deep pockets and other value propositions such as huge swaths of traffic and rider data, could ride out a negative ruling in the Waymo case.
    The Waymo lawsuit, filed in February, revolves around a laser-based technology called Lidar that allows cars to "see" their surroundings and detect the location of other cars and pedestrians
    Waymo said Levandowski, who until last week was head of Uber's self-driving car program, stole more than 14,000 confidential documents before leaving his job at Waymo in January 2016. He formed a self-driving truck startup, Otto, which Uber bought in August for $680 million.
    Uber has said Waymo's claims are false, and in a court filing called the preliminary injunction motion "a misfire." Uber has not denied Levandowski took files from Waymo, but said it never possessed any of the confidential information that Waymo accused Levandowski of stealing.
    Levandowski himself has invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination because of the possibility of a future criminal probe. And last week, Levandowski said in an email to Uber employees he would stay at Uber but was stepping down from his work on Lidar.
    "You're left to assume the worst," said Elizabeth Rowe, an intellectual property professor at University of Florida Levin College of Law.
    In a deposition of Levandowski last month, attorneys for Waymo also probed Levandowski about Kalanick, whether the CEO encouraged him to take Waymo's confidential material, according to a court transcript. Levandowski invoked the Fifth Amendment.
    A spokesman for Uber declined to comment on the deposition.
     


  11. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday approved the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) inclusion as a party to the case of Jehangir Tareen and Imran Khan's offshore companies.
    With regard to the politicians speaking to indirectly concerned parties outside the court, the CJP stated that it is not advisable to do so, especially before the case starts.
    “It’s not okay to talk to the media before the case even commences,” Justice Nisar said, expressing reservations against Hanif Abbasi and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Daniyal Aziz.
    The CJP also told Khan’s lawyer Naeem Bukhari to develop a code of conduct on this issue.
    Aziz on Tuesday had claimed that the PTI chief was afraid of accountability. While talking to the press outside the Supreme Court (SC), the PML-N leader alleged that Khan had only called for accountability to "score political points".
    "Imran Khan should not be afraid of being held accountable when he says he hasn't been involved in corruption," Aziz stated. The PML-N representative added that Khan admitted to converting black money to white.
    Pointing out the KP government's efforts in the accountability process, Aziz said, "The position of the Accountability Commissioner is still vacant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa."
     


  12. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Sri Lankan Army Lieutenant General A.W.J.C De Silva called upon the Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Head Quarters on Wednesday.
    General Silva was briefed about Pakistan army’s continued campaign against terrorists and banned organisations.
    The visiting dignitary laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada.
    The Chief of Sri Lankan Army appreciated the Pakistan army’s achievements and contributions towards national and regional security.
    Read more: Italian COAS calls on Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa
    The visiting general thanked the Pakistan army for its incessant support to Sri Lanka’s fight against terrorism and expressed full confidence in Pakistan’s ability to completely overcome the menace in the near future.
    General Bajwa thanked his Sri Lankan counterpart for his visit and acknowledgement. Both sides reaffirmed their determination to work together for enhancing regional security and continuing existing military to military cooperation.
    Earlier on April 26, Italy’s COAS, General Danilo Errico called on General Bajwa at the GHQ.
    Matters of mutual interest were discussed, during the meeting held in Rawalpindi, with particular reference to enhanced military cooperation in the field of training and counter-terrorism domain.
    The delegation was later on given a detailed briefing on operational and training activities of the Pakistan army.


  13. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: The federal government, on Wednesday, requested the Sindh High Court (SHC) for more time to submit a reply to a petition filed by Dr Asim Hussain's lawyer to remove his name from the ECL. 
    Dr Hussain's lawyer Lateef Khosa presented his itinerary and hospital details to the SHC. He argued that the former minister was extremely ill and needed to travel abroad for treatment.
    Earlier on March 31, SHC's registrar requested the Ministry of Interior to include Dr Hussain's name in the ECL, hours after he was released from prison after a 19-month detention.
    Khosa informed the court that the former minister had booked a flight to London May 7, and a return ticket on May 22.
    Read more: Anti-terrorism court allows Dr Asim to travel abroad for medical treatment
    The petitioner's lawyer stated that his client could be paralysed if not treated on time. The hearing was delayed until May 9.
    Earlier on April 15, an anti-terrorism court allowed Dr Asim Hussain to leave Pakistan for two weeks to get medical treatment abroad.
    The court permitted the former minister to leave the country following the submission of Rs 2 million as surety and ordered him to return to the country within two weeks.
    Dr Hussain, who was arrested by the Rangers on August 26, 2015, was released after 19 months of incarceration on March 31.
    Corruption references worth Rs 479 billion filed
    Dr Hussain, a close aide of former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, faces several charges including corruption references filed by NAB of Rs 479 billion. He is also alleged to have provided treatment and protection to terrorists at a hospital owned by him.
    According to NAB, Dr Hussain created an artificial shortage of gas during his tenure as a result urea fertiliser prices skyrocketed and touched Rs1830 from just Rs850.
    Read more: Dr Asim Hussain released from prison after 19 months
    His name was first added to the ECL, on the NAB's request, on November 24, 2015. 


  14. Waqas Dar
    NEW YORK: US First Daughter Ivanka Trump revived ethics concerns Tuesday by publishing a self-help book for working women, which was immediately criticised for offering little help to millions of Americans living outside the moneyed elite.
    "Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success" was released simultaneously in hardback, ebook, 497-minute audio download and CD, Donald Trump´s favorite child sitting on the cover in a dark frock.
    The purpose of the book, she writes, is to empower others with skills she has learned in matters as diverse as starting companies, negotiating, maximizing your influence at work and "helping change the system to make it better for women."
    The text is peppered with quotations from the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, business leaders Jeff Bezos and Sheryl Sandberg, even former secretary of state Colin Powell.
    Among the women she cities as her inspirations is Pakistani-origin entrepreneur Umber Ahmad, who left Wall Street to open her own bakery.

    Umber Ahmad/V.K.Rees Photography
    Umber, the child of Pakistani immigrants who came to the States right before she was born, graduated from MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. She rose through the ranks at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, working in investment banking and private equity, before leaving the Street to pursue her passion for baking.
    The name of her pastry shop ‘Mah-Ze-Dahr’ is derived from the Urdu word ‘mazedar’ meaning ‘delicious’ in English. Umber began selling her bakery items online, before eventually expanding to a physical shop in Manhattan in 2016.
    ´Completely out of touch´
    Ivanka Trump, the millionaire mother of three, assistant to the president and wife of White House advisor Jared Kushner, says she wrote the tome, published by Penguin business imprint Portfolio, before her father´s shock election.
    She took leave from the family real estate business and her eponymous clothing line in January. She is now an unpaid federal employee, with an office in the West Wing, who fulfills duties traditionally carried out by a first lady.
    Yet the book spotlights the gulf between the gilded world of a 35-year-old woman thought -- with her husband -- to still hold investments worth up to $740 million and the struggles facing middle- or working-class working women.
    She makes only fleeting reference to a nanny as she details an exhausting schedule for managing her companies, her household and date nights with her husband.
    At extremely busy times, such as her father´s presidential campaign, she admits: "I wasn´t treating myself to a massage or making much time for self-care."
    She references her joy at spending weekends "at our country home in New Jersey," her love of transcendental meditation and shares tips on treating your children to a "spa bath:" run the shower for steam, play rain forest music and lower the lights.
    Fatima Goss Graves, incoming president of the National Women´s Law Center that promotes equality for women and families, wrote in US News that the book was "completely out of touch with the obstacles working women face."
    "Millions of women are in no position to follow any of this advice."
    The New York Times, a newspaper repeatedly criticized by the Republican president, called it "not really offensive so much as witlessly derivative." The "why of her book becomes easy to discern. She´s extending the Trump brand."
    Online booksellers Amazon listed the book with an average of three out of five stars, an instant bestseller in the category of "job hunting and careers."
    Alongside glowing reviews extolling her as a role model with practical advice, irrate comments criticised her as a woman of privilege who never had to work.
    Likely galling to many a hard-up student will be the revelation that Anna Wintour, the legendary editor of Vogue, called her in person to offer her a job while she was yet to graduate -- a position which she "graciously declined."
    Ivanka, who uses social media to showcase a carefully curated image, reveals that she shared the first picture of her daughter only after being ambushed by paparazzi.
    She justified sharing a photograph of herself digging in the garden with "messy" hair and "dirt on my cheek" thinking it might help "debunk the superwoman myth."
    Ivanka was pre-paid an advance for the book, but has tried to fend off concerns that she is profiting from public office by promising to donate further profits to charity and announcing that she would not go on a promotional tour.
    "In light of government ethics rules, I want to be clear that this book is a personal project. I wrote it at a different time in my life," she wrote on Facebook.
    The book closes with her often-stated desire for the United States to enshrine paid leave and affordable high-quality childcare, but offers no concrete blueprint on how that might be achieved.


  15. Waqas Dar
    KOHAT: Police arrested one person and recovered arms and ammunition from his vehicle on the Indus Highway on Wednesday, Geo News reported.
    According to sources, the suspect vehicle was hailed by the highway police during a regular stop and search at the Kohat tunnel checkpost and recovered 15 pistols, numerous rifles and thousands of live cartridges.
    Security sources added, that the arms and ammunition were allegedly being transferred from Darra Adam Khel to Punjab.
    Police on May 1 recovered a huge cache of arms from a car in Kot Pindi Das in Sheikhupura and arrested two suspects. Approximately, a hundred rifles including Kalashnikov rifles, pistols, and a thuosands of bullets from a car were recovered.
    The accused were transporting the weapons from Islamabad to Lahore via the road, the Motorway Police told Geo News. While the car managed to avoid all security checks from Islamabad to Sheikhupura, the driver fled the spot after the car was searched.


  16. Waqas Dar
    Prices for generic topical steroids to treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis are on the rise, and many seniors may pay more for generic medications than the brand-name versions, a US study finds.
    Researchers compared average out-of-pocket patient costs as well as spending by Medicare, the US health insurance program for people 65 and older, for several commonly prescribed topical corticosteroids that have been used for decades to treat a wide variety of inflammatory skin conditions.
    Medicare Part D, the drug benefit program, spent $2.3 billion on topical steroids between 2011 and 2015, the study found. During that period, spending surged 227 percent while the number of prescriptions increased just 37 percent.
    If doctors had prescribed the cheapest version when a variety of similarly effective options were available, Medicare could have saved $944.8 million, the researchers calculate.
    Patients could have saved a lot too; seniors’ annual out-of-pocket spending for topical steroids grew from $41.4 million to $101.8 million, 146 percent, during the study period.
    “Patients often have difficulty paying for their medications and many patients on Medicare are retired and on fixed incomes,” said senior study author Dr Arash Mostaghimi, a dermatology researcher at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
    “Paying extra for their medications may mean going without other medications or sometimes food,” Mostaghimi said by email.
    Generics accounted for almost 98 percent of total spending on topical steroids during the study period, the researchers report in JAMA Dermatology.
    In theory, generic drugs are supposed to come on the market after brand-name versions lose US patent protection and help lower prices by increasing competition. The study of topical steroid costs, however, offers one look at a much more complex and confusing reality.
    For the study, researchers examined costs for drugs grouped based on potency, or how much medication is blended into the ointments and creams. They sorted drugs into five classes, with one being the most potent and five being the weakest potency.
    Costs grew at the slowest rate, 23 percent, for the weakest steroids, the study found. By contrast, costs rose the most, 604 percent overall, for the most potent group of steroids.
    Within that group of most potent steroids, the steepest increase in average user costs was for clobetasol propionate (Temovate), which is used to treat itching and inflammation from skin issues caused by allergic reactions, eczema and psoriasis. During the study, user costs for this drug climbed by more than 605 percent.
    Limitations of the study include the lack of data on certain drug manufacturer rebates that might help lower costs, the authors note. Researchers also didn’t know if doctors had certain clinical reasons for choosing specific versions of similar medicines.
    Still, the study illustrates something doctors already see all the time: that these costs often take a toll on patients, said Dr Joslyn Kirby, author of an accompanying editorial and a dermatology researcher at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
    One challenge for doctors is that they can’t always see what different steroids of similar potency cost when they prescribe the drugs because that’s not in electronic medical records, Kirby said by email.
    “I ask my patients to contact me and let me know if the medication I prescribed during the appointment is too expensive when they go to the pharmacy,” Kirby added. “I need my patients to know that it’s ok to tell me that something is too expensive because I can work with our staff to find an alternative or a solution.”


  17. Waqas Dar
    SINGAPORE: Crude oil prices bounced back on Wednesday as a decline in US inventories underpinned the market, although a dip in compliance with OPEC efforts to reduce output and near record supplies capped gains.
    The benchmark for the global oil market, Brent futures gained 47 cents, or 0.9 percent to $50.93 a barrel by 6:41 AM GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 37 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $48.02 a barrel.
    On Tuesday, WTI slid 2.4 percent to its lowest close since March 21 and Brent closed at its lowest level this year, erasing all of the gains made since OPEC agreed to reduce production in November.
    "There is precautionary buying following API data and leading to EIA data tonight," said Ric Spooner, chief market analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney.
    "The lower oil gets, there is potential for forming a base. We are near lows made in March both in Brent and West Texas and if we do see, as many expect, a good run of draw in inventories into the summer, I think there is some upside potential."
    US crude stocks fell last week, and both gasoline and distillate inventories also dropped, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute (API) showed on Tuesday.
    Crude inventories fell by 4.2 million barrels in the week ended April 28 to 528.3 million barrels, compared with analyst expectations for a decrease of 2.3 million barrels. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub fell by 215,000 barrels, API said.
    The US government will release its Energy Information Administration (EIA) inventory data on Wednesday at 1430 GMT.
    "The supply of crude oil continues to decline. This is evident in both spot and forward supply data," commodities brokerage Marex Spectron said in a note.
    "Demand remains strong and in spite of lower refinery profitability we see increasing capacity utilisation rates."
    Production from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell for a fourth straight month in April, a Reuters survey found on Tuesday, as top exporter Saudi Arabia kept production below its target while maintenance and unrest cut production in exempt nations Nigeria and Libya.
    But more oil from Angola and higher UAE output than originally thought meant OPEC compliance with its production-cutting deal slipped to 90 percent from a revised 92 percent in March, according to Reuters surveys.
    OPEC pledged to reduce output by about 1.2 million barrels per day (BPD) for six months from Jan. 1 - the first supply cut deal since 2008. Non-OPEC producers are cutting about half as much.
    Russia had cut oil output by 300,790 barrels per day as of May 1 compared with October 2016, Russia's Energy Ministry said on Wednesday.
    Crude oil discharged on ships worldwide in April was near a record high of 45 million barrels per day, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon data.
    This indicates supplies remain high, but it also implies strong demand, especially from Asia.
    While OPEC countries are cutting production, exports of U.S crude oil to Asia have spiked.


  18. Waqas Dar
    After more than a year after their alleged break-up, The Rockstar actress Nargis Fakhri was spotted with Uday Chopra in New York.
    So, What's cooking?
    The meeting sparking off rumours that the couple might be back together.
    According to Indian media, “A few days ago they even spent some time at a luxury resort, The Mulia Resort, and Villas in Bali.”

    Pictures of Nargis and Uday also went viral after they were spotted at Mumbai airport together on Saturday. 
    The twisting part was that Nargis Fakhri covered her face while Uday flashed smiles at the paparazzi.

    When Nargis Fakhri was asked about it in an earlier interview to an Indian media portal, she said, “Am I really dating? Interesting you ask me. Uday Chopra is a person who will be a part of my life for the rest of my life. He is the most amazing human being who I have ever met in my entire life not just in India but around the world. If anyone is his friend that person is lucky to have him in his life.”


  19. Waqas Dar
    Maria Sharapova is still waiting to hear if she can play at the French Open later this month but men's world number one Andy Murray expects her to be at Wimbledon in July.
    Sharapova returned last month from a doping ban to reach the semi-finals at the Stuttgart Open, but did not earn enough points to qualify for Roland Garros and is reliant on a wildcard for the qualifying tournament.
    The French Tennis Federation will announce their decision on May 16.
    Murray, however, said he expected the five-times grand slam champion would be on the grasscourts of south-west London.
    "I think there's a good chance Wimbledon would give her one (a wild card) to get into qualifying," Murray told reporters at an event for June's Aegon Championships tournament at the Queen's Club in London.
    "I think we've got to wait and see what happens because there might not even be a decision to be made because she might be in the main draw after Madrid or Rome, so there's a good chance she can get in by right."
    The Russian can qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon by reaching the semi-final of either the Madrid or Rome tournaments.
    The rankings deadline for Wimbledon qualification is May 29.
    Murray, who sustained an injury in March, returned to action at the Barcelona Open last month and said he was feeling good as he looked ahead to Roland Garros.
    "I feel much better than I did three or four weeks ago," he added.
    "I feel like physically I am getting back to where I need to be and I feel like I am able to put in the work I need to, to be able to play my best tennis."


  20. Waqas Dar
    UMERKOT/KARACHI: Police on Wednesday declared the arrest of Hassan Talpur, son of Nawab Zaid Talpur, and co-accused in an incident of gross abuse of power when both father and son barged into the Kunri police station in Umerkot and insulted the Station House Officer. 
    According to SSP Umerkot, Usman Bajwa who led the raiding party, Hassan Talpur was picked up from Defence, Karachi. 
    Speaking to Geo.tv SSP Usman Bajwa said, "we shall ensure that nobody is above law."
    Videos of the father and son along with four others went viral on social media a day earlier, showing an inebriated Nawab Zaid Talpur insulting the SHO and demanding the police officer to sit on the ground and speak to him while Talpur occupied the SHO's seat. 
    The SHO could be seen in the video respectfully requesting Talpur to leave his seat. The incident reportedly took place on Monday night. 
    A case was registered against Talpur, his son and four others on Tuesday.
    Besides Nawab Zaid Talpur and Hassan Talpur, four others were nominated in the FIR  No. 44/ 2017 at PS Kunri.
    The others were identified as Jamil Marwarri, Lachman Meghwarr, Kareem, and Shafi.
    Nawab Zaid Talpur is said to be the brother-in-law of former chief minister Sindh Liaquat Ali Jatoi.
    [post_gallery]
     


  21. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif arrived in Islamabad Wednesday on a one-day visit to Pakistan.
    During a meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali said Pakistan-Iran relations are rooted in common faith, history and geography.
    Calling Iran a fraternal country, Nisar assured the dignitary that no hurdle will be allowed to come in the way of better relations between the two countries.
    Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said his country attaches great importance to its relations with Pakistan.
    The minister said that Iran believes in the unity of Muslim countries and stressed the importance of both Pakistan and Iran working together for resolution of problems faced by the Ummah.
    Zarif noted that the two countries also need to move forward with consensus on matters of international importance.
    The foreign minister is accompanied by a high-level delegation and will also hold talks with Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
    The meetings are likely to discuss the situation arising from recent terrorist attacks on Iranian border guards.
    Several other matters including bilateral ties, regional situation, counter-terrorism measures along Pak-Iran border, gas pipeline project and SAARC summit are also expected to come under discussion during the meetings.


  22. Waqas Dar
    If you live in some wild area and have a habit of leaving the door of your house open then it can be a huge problem for you.
    A Redditor JRM2 encountered a similar experience when he was filming a snake outside his house.
     The snake which was calmly creeping around his property was being filmed by JRM2 who had not the slightest idea what is gonna happen next.
    The snake which slipped behind a ladder was seen slithering inside the house in a matter of few seconds through a sliding door that was left open  
    Luckily, it does not appear that this is a venomous snake. 
    Watch the video!



  23. Waqas Dar
    Pakistan is among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalism, France-based watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) revealed in its latest annual press freedom report.
    According to the 2017 World Press Freedom Index compiled by RSF, Pakistan ranks at 139 out of 180 countries.
    "There are fatal attacks on journalists every year, though the number has dropped for the past four years," the report stated.
    At least 117 journalists have been killed in the past 15 years in Pakistan, and of these, only three cases were taken up in the judicial courts.

    Pakistani journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty
     
    Renowned Pakistani journalist and Geo News senior anchor Hamid Mir, who survived being shot six times in 2014, has called journalism "as free of shackles as the parliament".
    Commenting on the RSF report, he said that the new “weapon of fake blasphemy allegations” posed a threat to journalists in the country, among other dangers faced by media professionals.
    “Earlier, the rationale of traitor to the state was used to assault journalists,” he said.
    Mir noted that demands have been made to establish laws to safeguards journalists, but the requests fade over time and are forgotten.
    Many journalists go out of their way and risk their lives to keep the public informed of the country’s happenings. However, promises are only made to protect them when they are singled out and harassed, but no substantial progress is made.
    The situation has not changed over time. “Those who are in the field of journalism still stay vulnerable” to threats and kidnapping, said Pakistani journalist and political commentator Asma Shirazi.
    Published annually by RSF since 2002, the World Press Freedom Index measures the level of media freedom in 180 countries, including the level of pluralism, media independence, and respect for the safety and freedom of journalists. The 2017 Index takes account of violations that took place between January 1 and December 31 of 2016.


  24. Waqas Dar
    French carmaker Peugeot is partnering with Boston, Massachusetts-based tech firm nuTonomy to test self-driving cars in Singapore.
    NuTonomy's software, sensors, and computing platforms will be installed in Peugeot 3008 models as part of plans to develop the technology needed for large fleets of autonomous cars, PSA and nuTonomy said in a statement on Wednesday.
    The latest PSA Group project seeks to work on "level 5" autonomous capable vehicles, which require no driver input, and will allow both companies to study how an "on-demand autonomous vehicle mobility service" performs, they said.
    The combination is the latest in technology and automotive companies after Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz, last month unveiled an autonomous cars development partnership with supplier Robert Bosch, while BMW has announced an alliance with chipmaker Intel and Israel's Mobileye.
    Autonomous driving in urban areas requires a more radical approach to vehicle design, particularly for software and sensors, to help a car navigate inner-city obstacles, said Anne Laliron, Head of the Business Lab at PSA Group.
    "That is the reason we jump on the opportunity to work with nuTonomy," Laliron told Reuters.
    PSA Group will use the project to learn about what components make sense, and which suppliers are available, Laliron said.
    Following the initial phase of this partnership, the companies will consider expanding their on-road AV testing initiative to other major cities.
    nuTonomy, a software company founded by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) academics and McKinsey management consultants was the first to begin on the road testing of driverless taxi services in Singapore last year.
    It raised $16 million last May in a funding round led by Highland Capital Partners and has backing from Singapore government authorities and Samsung Ventures, among others.


  25. Waqas Dar
    LAKKI MARWAT: A policeman was martyred when unknown persons opened fire on him in Lakki Marwat on Tuesday.
    The deceased policeman, Momin Khan, was travelling to the mosque from Tijori police station when unidentified persons fired live rounds on him in Lakki Marwat's tribal area, Tijori Bazaar.
    Khan did not sustain the injuries and died on spot. His funeral prayers were held at Police Line Lakki Marwat.
    Regional Police Officer (RPO) Ali Khattak and District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Khalid attended the funeral prayers.
    The police launched a search operation for suspects involved in the incident.
    Read more: Suspect killed, gangsters among eight held in Karachi
    Late Tuesday, a suspect was killed in an encounter with police in Karachi, while four 'gangsters' among eight suspects were arrested in different raids, officials claimed.
    Police raided a house located near Dubai Chowk in Lyari late on Tuesday night, the police said. Suspects inside the house opened fire on the law enforcers as soon as they spotted them.
    A suspect was killed in retaliatory firing by the police. The deceased was said to be affiliated with Baba Ladla group.
    Officials also claimed to have recovered weapons and a hand grenade that had belonged to the deceased suspect.


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