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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    Roger Federer moved into a 12th Wimbledon semi-final and within touching distance of a record eighth title Wednesday as injury-hit Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic crashed out on a dramatic day at the All England Club.
    Swiss maestro Federer eased to a 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) win over Milos Raonic to become the second oldest Wimbledon semi-finalist of the Open era.
    However, defending champion Murray, severely restricted by a right hip injury, was dethroned by Sam Querrey 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-1.
    Three-time winner Djokovic was also heading for the exit after the second seed quit his quarter-final against Tomas Berdych with a right elbow injury while trailing 7-6 (7/2), 2-0.
    It means that Federer will face Berdych in Friday's semi-finals while Querrey will tackle Marin Cilic after the former US Open champion put out Gilles Muller, the conqueror of Rafael Nadal, 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 7-5, 5-7, 6-1.
    Federer, 35, and playing in his 100th match at the All England Club on Wednesday, is the second oldest man to reach the semi-finals after Ken Rosewall, who finished runner-up in 1974 at the age of 39.
    "100 matches, I can't believe it, that's a lot," said Federer, who will succeed Rosewall as the oldest ever champion should he take the title and a 19th Grand Slam crown on Sunday.
    "I'm very happy my body kept me going over all these years. I'm very pleased with how I'm playing."
    Canadian sixth seed Raonic had knocked out Federer in the semi-finals in 2016, a defeat which led the Swiss superstar to shut down the rest of his season to rest a knee injury.
    On Wednesday, Federer matched the big-serving Canadian with 11 aces while crunching a spectacular 46 winners.
    He also saved all five break points he faced and has reached the semi-finals without dropping a set.
    On Friday, he will take an 18-6 career record over Berdych into their semi-final.
    One year after knocking out 2015 champion Djokovic in the third round, 29-year-old Querrey, the world number 28, accounted for Murray.
    The big American will be playing in his first semi-final at the majors at the 42nd time of asking.
    Murray's challenge petered out when he began limping off his right leg, his movement severely compromised by a recent hip problem.
    "I knew I wasn't going to do any major damage by playing so I wanted to try and see if it was possible to find a way at the end," said two-time champion Murray, reluctant to dwell on his injury.
    Hip, elbow problems for Murray, Djokovic

    "I have had a problem with the hip for a long time. It's sore. But I tried my best, I gave everything I had and I am proud of that.
    "It's disappointing to lose. It was an opportunity and I'm sad it's over."
    Querrey is the first American man in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick finished runner-up at Wimbledon in 2009.
    "I'm still in a state of shock. I'm glad I hit that last serve in," said Querrey, who finished with 27 aces and 70 winners.
    "I didn't start the best but I just kept swinging away and found my groove in the last two sets."
    The only consolation for Murray was that Djokovic's defeat means he will remain as world number one.
    Djokovic said a right elbow injury was to blame for his retirement against 2010 Wimbledon runner-up Berdych, a player he had defeated 25 times in 27 previous meetings.
    The Serb needed treatment at the end of the first set and was already dealing with a long-term right shoulder problem.
    Djokovic admitted that a long rest might be the best therapy.
    "There is a possibility that the doctors will propose surgery, but I don't think that is good," Djokovic told the Serbian press after his first Grand Slam retirement since the 2009 Australian Open quarter-finals.
    "To go be cut in a surgery or to poison myself with pills? none of these solutions is good.
    "A logical conclusion is that a rest and a longer break is a logical solution."
    Seventh seed Cilic reached his first Wimbledon semi-final having lost in the quarter-finals on his last three visits.
    Cilic, hoping to reach his second major final, has won all four of his meetings with Querrey, including three at Wimbledon in 2009, 2012 and 2015.
    The second of those encounters was the second longest match in Wimbledon history at five hours and 31 minutes, something Cilic doesn't want to experience again on Friday.
    "Hopefully it's not the longest one ever," he said.




  2. Waqas Dar
    Priyanka Chopra is among the handful celebrities who amaze people on a regular basis. It seems that the Bollywood diva?s creativity and talents do not know any limitations.

    The latest bit about the ?Quantico? actress? life is that she is going to try a different hat this time and turn into a Hollywood producer.
    Peecee?s mom Madhu Chopra said that her daughter is set to produce a Hollywood film at the end of the year.
    The film would be produced under the banner of Chopra?s personal production house 'Purple Pebbles Pictures'.
    The diva, who starred in ?Baywatch? alongside Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, wherein she plays antagonist Victoria Leeds, is reportedly in talks to join Oscar-winning Octavia Spencer, Claire Danes, and Jim Parsons in an upcoming drama 'A Kid Like Jake'.
    Not only that, Priyanka is set to star along Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth and Adam Devine in 'Isn't It Romantic?'. 


  3. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: Novak Djokovic is out of Wimbledon after being forced to retire from his quarter-final against Tomas Berdych due to a right arm injury on Wednesday.
    Djokovic needed treatment on the area around his elbow at the end of the first set and was already dealing with a long-term right shoulder problem.
    The three-time Wimbledon champion, who would have regained the world number one ranking if he had won the tournament, was trailing 7-6 (7/2), 2-0 when he called it quits on Court One.
    Czech world number 15 Berdych, the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up, goes on to face Roger Federer or Milos Raonic for a place in Sunday´s final.


  4. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Wednesday that the One Belt One Road (OBOR) project would open a world of new opportunities and said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the most important part of this plan.

    The army chief was addressing a gathering on CPEC logistics which was attended by ambassadors, civil and military officers.
    Gen Bajwa said that the project would bring an economic revolution for the economies of both Pakistan and western China.
    The COAS said that the Army would fully guard the CPEC plan, adding that national institutions would also have to play their part.
    The CPEC is duly considered to be a game changer, said Gen Bajwa.
    ?Pak-China relationship is based on the principles of peaceful co-existence, commonality of interest and shared perception on regional and global issues. We have always stood by each other through thick and thin and at every critical juncture of our history,? the COAS said, according to an ISPR release.
    CPEC is a collection of projects currently under construction at a cost of more than $50 billion. The major portion will be spent for enhancing energy capacity of the country and almost $12 billion on infrastructure-related projects.
    CPEC-related construction work has been expedited after ships carrying construction material arrived in Gwadar at the end of October 2016.


  5. Waqas Dar
    Sherry Rehman talking to media in Islamabad ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders on Wednesday rebutted reports of any backdoor communication with the ruling party, with senator Sherry Rehman saying that media reports claiming that the government has tried to contact PPP are wrong.
    ?It is true that we try to protect the system?but right now the system is under threat from the government,? Rehman said, while talking to media at the Pearl Continental Hotel along with other party leaders.
    ?PPP is not stepping in to save any individual. We supported saving the democratic system;PM Sharif is destroying it by staying on. #PMmustgo,? she said in a tweet.
    The PPP leader said that the Sharifs couldn?t present any money trail for their businesses. Commenting on claims by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership earlier today that the entire issue is a conspiracy against the prime minister, Rehman said if that is the case the prime minister should disclose whoever the conspirators are.
    Senior PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan said that the Panama scandal is not a conspiracy against the Sharifs and names of many famous personalities around the world are involved.
    The government and prime minister have become controversial and government affairs have come to a halt, said Senator Farhatullah Babar, demanding the prime minister step down or the country would face a crisis.


  6. Waqas Dar
    NEVADA: US startup Hyperloop One on Wednesday announced the first successful full-systems test of its near-supersonic rail transit system.
    The test took place in May at the company's development track in the Nevada desert near Las Vegas, and involved a vehicle coasting above tracks for slightly more than five seconds using magnetic levitation, according to the startup.
    The test vehicle accelerated to a speed of 70 miles (112 kilometers) per hour during the test, and the company's next goal is to ramp the speed to 250 mph (400 kph), Hyperloop One said in a release.
    "Hyperloop One has accomplished what no one has done before by successfully testing the first full scale Hyperloop system," said startup co-founder and executive chairman Shervin Pishevar.
    "By achieving full vacuum, we essentially invented our own sky in a tube, as if you're flying at 200,000 feet (60,000 meters) in the air."
    Hyperloop One had originally promised a full-scale demonstration by the end of 2016, after a successful test of the propulsion system.
    Systems tested in May included the motor, vacuum pumping, magnetic levitation, and electromagnetic braking, according to the company.
    Hyperloop One also announced on Wednesday that it has built a prototype pod designed to carry people or cargo through the systems low-pressure tubes.
    Hyperloop One early this year disclosed a list of locations around the world vying to put near-supersonic rail transit system to the test.
    Viable submissions had to be condoned by government agencies that would likely be involved in regulating and, ideally, funding the futuristic rail.
    Hyperloop One wants to get three systems underway, chief executive Rob Lloyd told AFP at the time.
    Hyperloop One, which has raised more than $160 million, was set on an idea laid out by billionaire Elon Musk, the entrepreneur behind electric car company Tesla and private space exploration endeavor SpaceX.
    Pods would rocket along rails through reduced-pressure tubes at speeds of 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) per hour.
    Hyperloop One says the system offers better safety than passenger jets, lower build and maintenance costs than high-speed trains, and energy usage, per person, that is similar to a bicycle.
    Port colossus DP World Group of Dubai last year invested in the concept, joining backers including French national rail company SNCF, US industrial conglomerate General Electric and Russian state fund RDIF.


  7. Waqas Dar
    Tillerson meeting Saudi King Salman. -AFP JEDDAH: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks Wednesday with four Arab states boycotting Qatar as part of a round of intense shuttle diplomacy aimed at resolving the regional crisis.
    Tillerson flew into Saudi Arabia where he met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country leads a four-state alliance that has cut ties with Qatar over accusations it supports extremism.
    The United States, a longtime ally of Saudi Arabia, has given mixed signals about its policy on the Gulf crisis.
    While President Donald Trump welcomed the Arab states´ decision to sever air and land links to their gas-rich neighbour, the State Department has taken a more neutral position and Tillerson is seeking to broker a diplomatic solution.
    The crisis has presented Tillerson, well known in the Gulf from his former role as chief of energy giant ExxonMobil, with his first big challenge as Washington´s top diplomat.
    In a setback to his efforts, the four Arab states on Tuesday dismissed a counter-terrorism deal signed between Qatar and the United States that day as "insufficient".
    But on Wednesday Tillerson underscored the shared mutual interests between the United States and Saudi Arabia notably in the areas of "security, stability... and economic prosperity".
    Speaking after meeting with the Saudi crown prince, the king´s son and a highly influential figure in regional politics, Tillerson stressed the two countries shared a "strong partnership".
    The secretary of state also met the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in an attempt to mend fences between the crucial US allies.
    The United States and its Western allies have vast economic and political interests in the Gulf, which pumps one fifth of the world´s oil supplies.
    While Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, Qatar is home to the US military´s largest air base in the region, Al-Udeid. Rival Bahrain houses the US Navy Fifth Fleet.
    On Tuesday, after a stop in regional mediator Kuwait, Tillerson travelled to Doha where he described Qatar as being "reasonable" in its dispute with the four states.
    He also signed a deal which he said "lays out a series of steps the two countries will take over the coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter-terrorism activities globally."
    The deal meant Qatar was "the first to respond" to Trump´s call at a summit in Riyadh in May "to stop the funding of terrorism", Tillerson said, suggesting such deals could be signed with the other Arab states as a step toward ending the crisis.
    ´Insufficient´ step
    But Tuesday´s initiative was dismissed as "insufficient" by the Saudi-led bloc.
    Commitments made by Qatari authorities "cannot be trusted," said a joint statement published by Saudi state news agency SPA.
    The bloc has issued a list of 13 demands for Qatar including closing broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, downgrading ties to Iran and shutting a Turkish military base in the emirate.
    Iran, Saudi Arabia´s main arch-rival, has offered to export food to Qatar and on Wednesday announced it was boosting ties with the Gulf state of Oman.
    Oman has maintained ties with Qatar and joined the Kuwaiti and US-led crisis talks this week.
    Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain on June 5 announced sanctions, effective immediately, against Qatar over accusations Doha supported Islamist extremism and was too close to Iran.
    They severed all diplomatic ties, suspended transport links with Doha and ordered all Qataris to return home within 14 days.
    Qatar refused to comply with the ultimatum and has consistently denied accusations of ties to Islamist groups.
    The fight for Al-Jazeera
    UN rights chief Zeid Ra´ad Al Hussein on June 30 said the demand to close Al-Jazeera represented "an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion," prompting a harsh response from the United Arab Emirates.
    In a letter to the rights chief, UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash accused Al-Jazeera of anti-Semitism and inciting viewers to discrimination and violence.
    The letter lists the broadcasting of "sermons by the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, in which he praised Hitler, described the Holocaust as ´divine punishment´" and the regular airing of the speeches of slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and others as examples of hatred.
    Tillerson´s visit is the latest in a series by officials to the region, including UN diplomats and the foreign ministers of Germany and Britain, to try to resolve the row.
    French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit the Gulf this weekend, with stops in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait.


  8. Waqas Dar
    ANKARA: Turkey has sent 197 cargo planes, 16 trucks and one ship to Qatar to meet its daily needs since a dispute broke out last month between Qatar and other Gulf states, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said on Wednesday.
    At a meeting with Zeybekci in the Turkish capital Ankara, Qatar's economy minister, Ahmed bin Jassim al-Thani, said Doha's sea and air trade was continuing without disruption despite sanctions.
    Ankara has backed Qatar after Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cut all economic and diplomatic ties with it, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, a charge it denies.


  9. Waqas Dar
    DETROIT: Autotech Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, said it had raised $120 million from automotive companies and financial investors for a fund that will invest in startups working on transportation services and digital vehicle technology.
    The fund will try to connect startup companies with its corporate investors, which include big automotive suppliers BorgWarner Inc and Autoliv Inc, and two unidentified automakers, Autotech founders Quin Garcia and Alexei Andreev told Reuters ahead of Wednesday's announcement of the fund.
    The fund already has investments in ride service company Lyft; Outdoorsy, which enables users to share recreational vehicles; and Work Truck Solutions, which designs software to help owners of commercial truck fleets track their vehicles.
    Older transportation companies are looking for ideas on how to make money from vehicles after the initial sale, such as through sharing services. They also are interested in startups that could help them use data acquired from vehicles to sell insurance or locate and pay for parking, Garcia and Andreev said.
    The new Autotech Ventures fund comes as vehicle manufacturers and suppliers are scouring the technology sector for talent and ideas but are wary of overpaying.
    General Motors Co's estimated $1 billion acquisition of self-driving vehicle company Cruise Automation and Uber Technologies Inc's [UBER.UL] purchase of self-driving truck startup Otto have accelerated this trend.
    In the self-driving vehicle arena, the Autotech Ventures fund will focus on companies developing specific technology, ?rather than a jack of all trades,? Garcia said.
    Autotech Ventures has invested in Deepscale, a startup developing technology that processes the information a car gets from sensors about the surrounding environment but is not trying to build an entire operating system for an autonomous vehicle.


  10. Waqas Dar
    WASHINGTON: The US government has moved to block federal agencies from buying software from Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, amid concerns about the company´s links to intelligence services in Moscow.
    The General Services Administration, which handles federal government purchasing contracts, said in a statement to AFP that Kaspersky Labs, a major global provider of cybersecurity software, has been removed from its list of approved vendors, making it more difficult to obtain Kaspersky products.
    "GSA´s priorities are to ensure the integrity and security of US government systems and networks and evaluate products and services available on our contracts using supply chain risk management processes," the agency said in a statement.
    The action came weeks after top US intelligence agency and law enforcement officials publicly expressed concerns about use of Kaspersky software.
    The officials, appearing at a congressional hearing in May, stopped short of offering specifics but appeared to suggest concerns over the computer security firm´s alleged links to Russian defense and intelligence bodies.
    The company said in a statement to AFP Wednesday, "Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts."
    It added that "the company is being unjustly accused without any hard evidence to back up these false allegations."
    A Bloomberg News report this week meanwhile claimed internal company emails show that Kaspersky has maintained a closer working relationship with Russia´s main intelligence agency, the FSB, than it has publicly admitted.
    Kaspersky on Tuesday issued a statement disputing the Bloomberg accounting, saying "the communication was misinterpreted or manipulated," but did acknowledge that it "regularly cooperates with law enforcement agencies, industry peers and victims of cybercrime."
    The company has repeatedly denied working with any government agency, and Russia-born founder Eugene Kaspersky has on several occasions sought to counter any such allegations.
    In a June 30 blog post, Kaspersky wrote, "For some reason the assumption continues to resonate that since we´re Russian, we must also be tied to the Russian government. But really, as a global company, does anyone seriously think we could survive this long if we were a pawn of ANY government?"


  11. Waqas Dar
    NEW DELHI: Indian censors have refused to certify a documentary film featuring Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen unless words like "cow" and "Hindu India" are beeped out, the director said Wednesday, in the latest dispute involving the sensitive film board.
    Suman Ghosh, a national award-winning director, said he screened his film "The Argumentative Indian" - adapted from Sen´s book of the same title - for censors in eastern Kolkata city on Tuesday.
    After three hours of viewing, officials verbally asked him to delete the terms "cow" - an animal considered sacred for Hindus - "Hindu India" and "Gujarat".
    "In a piece of cinema, I think it´s bizarre to just beep something suddenly," Ghosh told the NDTV news network, saying he was "quite shocked" by the censors´ objection.
    "But I will not make any change at all," he said.
    The documentary had been set for release this weekend.
    Filmed over the course of more than 15 years, Ghosh´s new work mainly features Sen, a vocal critic of Modi, and Kaushik Basu, who was chief economic adviser to India´s last Congress-led government, in a conversation that ranges from economics and philosophy to the global rise of right-wing nationalism.
    It mentions communal riots in western Gujarat state where at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in 2002 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was chief minister there.
    Ghosh said he was yet to receive an official notice from the Mumbai-based Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
    The CBFC did not immediately respond to several calls and text messages by AFP seeking comment.
    Sen said he was "absolutely astonished that there was anything controversial about it".
    "The censor board has now made it an interesting film and I am grateful for that," he told NDTV.
    Cow slaughter or consumption is a hot-button issue in India, where even rumours of them being transported can spark murderous reprisals and religious riots.
    Indian censors often bar movies and cut scenes, especially those deemed too racy or at risk of causing religious offence, with filmmakers accusing them of intolerance and muzzling creative freedom.




  12. Waqas Dar
    Maryam Nawaz speaks to reporters after appearing before the Panama JIT on July 5, 2017 ? AFP LAHORE: Daughter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, on Wednesday once again reiterated PML-N's stance that the premier will not resign and will continue with his tenure.
    The first daughter, in a tweet, questioned the reasoning behind calls for the prime minister to step down.
    "He will not give it [resignation] God willing! He should resign because not a single penny of government money was stolen during his five terms in power?"




  13. Waqas Dar
    RAJANPUR: An exchange of fire continued between police and bandits in Rajanpur?s Rojhan, which claimed the life of Station House Officer Sajjad Rambani and a civilian.

    According to police, the ensuing shootout also wounded four policemen and six civilians.
    In April last year, a hundred army officers participated in Rajanpur operation to rescue 18 policemen held hostage by the Chhotu Gang.
    Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah had then said that the gangsters had sanctuaries in the riverine area which were difficult to identify.
    Over 1,600 police officers from seven districts had taken part in the operation.

    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/a57ce1bb567990545fb46eeccd894c2d.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ny8xMi8yMDE3IDY6MDI6NDYgUE0maGFzaF92YWx1ZT1oQ2crWnpFNFl4SzJrQVpqbXJZU1FBPT0mdmFsaWRtaW51dGVzPTYwJmlkPTE= style=center]





  14. Waqas Dar
    Marriyum Aurangzeb addressing press conference in Islamabad ISLAMABAD: State minister for information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday came down hard on the Joint Investigation Team for what she called ?character assassination? of government functionaries by the team in its final report, saying the task of the team was to find answers to 13 questions.
    ?Who gave the JIT the right to call anyone a liar,? asked Aurangzeb at a press conference here, flanked by other party leaders.
    The minister said that this is the third conspiracy after the failure of the last two sit-ins, warning that the conspirators would be exposed regardless of what the outcome is.
    Aurangzeb added that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawyers are studying the report and will file responses accordingly.


  15. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday that Pakistan Muslim League is being used to hide the black money of the Sharif family.

    The PTI leaders were addressing a press conference, where Fawad Chaudhry said there is a discrepancy between the accounts of the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif.
    ?When you hold press conferences on the public taxes then how could party funds be utilised?? he said.
    Criticising pro-government Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Chaudhry alleged that the JUI-F leader gets funds from Libya.
    PTI leader Murad Saeed said that Nawaz Sharif is party to every conspiracy within Pakistan.
    Earlier in the day, PTI leaders reiterated demand for resignations from Prime Minister Nawaz and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for alleged money laundering, as the damning report by the Panama case JIT revived the opposition?s calls for the PM to step down.
    PTI leaders reiterate demand for PM?s resignation

    Asad Umar said it was in the best interests of the Prime Minister and Ishaq Dar to resign, given the quagmire they are facing.


  16. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Qamar Zaman Chaudhry had revealed to the Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that a case against Sharif Trust was under investigation when he took charge of the accountability bureau.
    Chaudhry, in his statement, said the first family was accused of laundering millions through the Sharif Trust.
    "The allegations further proved that the Sharif family's accounts were not audited," he said in his statement before the JIT.
    "The Sharif family was accused of purchasing 'un-named properties'."
    Chaudhry had also stated that NAB Lahore was asked to collect details of the properties in order to forward a mutual legal assistance request to the British government.
    "Due to lack of information, NAB could not request for mutual legal assistance for the property."
    The case, initiated in 2000, was heard by the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the apex court, added Chaudhry.
    He further said efforts to obtain records were not evident from the relevant files.
    "I assigned the case's responsibility to a different officer and the process of collecting the record is underway now," Chaudhry told the investigation team.
    The statement further said that during investigations, it surfaced that records from the required time period were not available.
    Another case against the premier revolved around Raiwind road's construction and was started by NAB Lahore and sent to NAB headquarters, the NAB Chairman's statement added.
    "NAB headquarters raised a few questions on the case and further investigations into the case are underway in the region," he said.
    An inquiry and two investigations against the prime minister and chief minister Punjab are underway according to Chaudhry's statement.
    The investigations and inquiry are regarding illegal use of authority in allotment of a Lahore Development Authority (LDA) plot.
    The report submitted by the JIT to the SC states that investigations into all cases are underway and will soon be given a final shape.
    "Hudaibiya Paper reference, Raiwind Estate reference, and willful loan default case were all dismissed by the LHC," Chaudhry told the investigation team.
    "Acting upon the advice of NAB prosecutor K.K. Agha, I did not file an appeal."
    The NAB prosecutor has an independent office in the bureau, formed for the department's legal guidance, he added.


  17. Waqas Dar
    Younis Khan addressing a ceremony in Karachi KARACHI: Former cricketer and Test captain Younis khan on Tuesday announced to put up his 10,000 test run milestone bat on auction and gave it to an NGO for the purpose.
    Addressing a ceremony held by the NGO here, the veteran batsman requested the government to not levy tax on the one million Pride of Performance award given by the government recently, as he plans to give half the amount to Edhi Foundation and the rest to other welfare organisations.
    Younis also announced plans to continue working with various organisations and brands for welfare work, including health, education and promoting cricket in the country.
    Answering a question whether he would join any political party in future, he said politics is not his domain and he plans to work with everyone. He also rebutted previous media reports claiming the cricketer plans to join Awami National Party.
    ?I consider all parties as mine and the entire Pakistan is mine. Why should I join one party and restrict myself to it,? said the cricketer.


  18. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: In the midst of the heated political environment following the Joint Investigation Team?s final report, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif summoned a session of the federal cabinet tomorrow (Thursday).

    Sources revealed that the premier would take the cabinet into confidence regarding the ongoing political situation of the country.
    There is a high possibility that during the session the JIT report would be reviewed, sources informed.
    The Cabinet session would also mull over the financial situation of the country, according to sources.
    The political situation of the country heated up after the JIT submitted its final report to the Supreme Court in relation to the Panama Leaks case. The JIT report recommended filing of a reference against PM Nawaz and his sons Hussain and Hasan Nawaz with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
    The JIT has observed major disparities in the finances of the Sharif family and their known and declared sources of income.
    The opposition parties reiterated their demand for the PM?s resignation, while the government rejected the report as ?garbage?. The ruling party leaders said that they would completely contest the report in the apex court.


  19. Waqas Dar
    Javed Hashmi addressing a news conference at the Multan Press Club - Geo News screen grab  MULTAN: Following submission of the Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report, senior politician Javed Hashmi on Wednesday said conspiracies had reached their peak in the country as the people clamoured for justice.

    Hashmi, formerly affiliated with both the PTI and PML-N, highlighted sacrifices rendered by politicians and said it was politicians who had lost their lives for the country.
    The veteran political leader advised politicians to tread carefully and claimed that he had never embezzled a single penny while serving as an MNA and minister. ?I even sold my house to make ends meet.?
    Referring to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, he said he had fled from the country and was now acting as if he were a king. 
    ?We can not even speak about him. Can anyone punish him?"
    "The country moves when generals wish it, what is the worth of Nawaz Sharif when compared to them?" The political leader also questioned the status of army chiefs after retirement.
    Stressing on the need for accountability of politicians, Hashmi asked if anyone could name the judge who had wealth in Panama. 
    "Can anyone take his name, can anyone hold him accountable, can anyone ask why he hid money in Panama?"
    Hashmi, critical of the PTI chairman, said Imran had always required an issue to keep relevant. 
    ?During the sit-in, the issue was rigging, and now he [Imran] has Panama as an issue,? said the veteran politician.
    According to Hashmi both Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif were unhappy with him.
    Hashmi also called upon the premier to step down and added that the prime minister would come from the same party as it was still in power.
    Referring to Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, Hashmi said no one was Sadiq and Amin in the country. 
    ?I think no one can be Sadiq and Amin other than the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him)."

    During his news conference, Hashmi spoke of his 50 years in politics and informed reporters that this could be the last news conference of his career. 


  20. Waqas Dar
    The crack in the Larsen C ice shelf that resulted in the new iceberg/John Sonntag, NASA via earthobservatory.nasa.gov PARIS: A trillion-tonne iceberg, one of the largest ever recorded, has snapped off the West Antarctic ice shelf, scientists who have monitored the growing crack for years said on Wednesday.
    "The calving occurred sometime between Monday, July 10 and Wednesday, July 12, when a 5,800-square kilometre (2,200-square mile) section of Larsen C (ice shelf) finally broke away," the Swansea University said in a statement.
    The massive ice cube, larger than the US state of Delaware, has a volume twice that of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes. It is about 350 metres (1,100 feet) thick.
    "The iceberg weighs more than a trillion tonnes, but it was already floating before it calved away so has no immediate impact on sea level," the team said. It will likely be named A68.
    With the calving, the Larsen C ice shelf lost more than 12 percent of its total surface area.
    Icebergs calving from Antarctica are a regular occurrence. But given its enormous size, the latest berg will be closely watched as it travels, for any potential risk to shipping traffic.
    The calving may have heightened the risk of the remaining ice shelf disintegrating, the Swansea team said.
    Ice shelves float on the sea, extending from the coast, and are fed by slow-flowing glaciers from the land.
    They act as giant brakes, preventing glaciers from flowing directly into the ocean.
    If the glaciers held in check by Larsen C spilt into the Antarctic Ocean, it would lift the global water mark by about 10 centimetres (four inches), researchers have said.
    The calving of ice shelves occurs naturally, though global warming is believed to have accelerated the process.
    Warmer ocean water erodes the underbelly of the ice shelves, while rising air temperatures weaken them from above.
    The nearby Larsen A ice shelf collapsed in 1995, and Larsen B dramatically broke up seven years later.
    The final break was detected by a NASA satellite.
    "We will continue to monitor both the impact of this calving event on the Larsen C ice shelf and the fate of this huge iceberg," said lead investigator Adrian Luckman of the university´s MIDAS project.
    The fate of the berg is hard to predict. It may stay in one piece, but could also break into fragments.
    "Some of the ice may remain in the area for decades, while parts of the iceberg may drift north into warmer waters," said Luckman.
    The team said the calving at the iceberg cannot be directly placed at the door of global warming, describing it as a "natural event".
    Human actions have lifted average global air temperatures by about one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial levels, according to scientists.
    Antarctica is one of the world´s fastest-warming regions.


  21. Waqas Dar
    The Election Commission of Pakistan. Photo: File  ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan adjourned the hearing of Imran Khan's disqualification case till August 21 on Wednesday.
    A joint case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief is being heard by the Supreme Court.
    "We must first see what is the progress on the case being heard in the SC," the Chief Election Commissioner said.  
    A three-member bench led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday adjourned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief's disqualification case till July 13.
    SC seeks details of Imran Khan?s cricket earnings
    Adjourns Imran Khan's disqualification hearing till July 13
    During today?s hearing, the CJP remarked that the money trail of one of Khan's accounts was vague and documents supporting his income claims from playing cricket must be submitted to the court.
    In response, Bukhari said he would provide the details to the court and inform the court when the PTI chief?s legal counsel, Anwar Mansoor, would be able to attend court hearings.
    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Hanif Abbasi filed a petition against PTI Chairman Imran Khan accusing the PTI leader of not declaring his assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The petition seeks to unseat Khan, based on alleged violations of the Income Tax Ordinance 1979 and Peoples Act 1974.



  22. Waqas Dar
    Upul Tharanga and Dinesh Chandimal have replaced Angelo Mathews/AFP COLOMBO: Sri Lanka appointed two new captains Wednesday to replace Angelo Mathews, who resigned after his side´s humiliating home series defeat to bottom-ranked Zimbabwe.
    Dinesh Chandimal will lead the Test side while Upul Tharanga will captain in limited-overs matches, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said.
    The reshuffle caps a turbulent period for the beleaguered Sri Lankan side, whose loss to Zimbabwe followed a fitness and coaching crisis and an early departure from the Champions Trophy.
    "Mathews tendered his resignation a short while ago this morning," said SLC chief Thilanga Sumathipala said.
    "We want to regroup and restructure and move forward."
    Mathews said he took the blame for Sri Lanka´s recent woes, and was making room so his successor could prepare the side for the World Cup in 2019.
    "There were times when I wanted to step down, but I did not want to let the team down at that time because there were no replacements as such," he told reporters.
    Mathews steps down as Sri Lanka captain after Zimbabwe humiliation
    He has reportedly quit the captaincy from all three forms of the game
    "But I feel this is the right time. The team´s interests supercede my interests. My honest opinion is that there are candidates who can take over the reins."
    Mathews bore the brunt of the criticism levelled at Sri Lanka´s cricketers in the aftermath of their 3-2 series loss at home to minnows Zimbabwe on Monday.
    Mathews described the shock defeat as lowest point in his career and a "hard pill to swallow".
    The struggling side entered the series without a coach after Graham Ford´s sudden exit following their poor showing in the Champions Trophy last month.
    Sri Lanka´s sports minister delivered the squad an ultimatum after that performance, ordering players get in shape or face the boot after declaring them unfit to compete on the world stage.
    Rock bottom
    Sri Lanka Cricket manager Asanka Gurusinghe said the team had hit rock bottom but would bounce back.
    "After losing to Zimbabwe, we have to go up. This side is too good to keep going down," Gurusinghe said.
    Their first challenge starts Friday, when Chandimal will lead the side in Colombo for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
    "I am going to put my heart and soul into the team," Chandimal said.
    Tharanga, who will take over in Twenty20s and ODIs, said there was much room for improvement following the embarrassment against Zimbabwe.
    "As a team we did not perform well," he said.
    The team remains plagued by fitness problems, with up to 20 players battling injuries in the past year, said chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya.
    Mathews had to return home halfway through Sri Lanka´s tour of South Africa earlier this year and missed Bangladesh´s tour of Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury.


  23. Waqas Dar
    Pakistan beat India to win the ICC Champions Trophy on June 18  The International Cricket Council (ICC) responded to criticism levelled by an Indian citizen against the Pakistan cricket team in a post made on Facebook.

    The ICC on its Facebook page had posted regarding the Pakistan women teams match against the West Indies to which an Indian citizen (Rahul Jaswal) had written that the Pakistan team should not be invited to the World Cup because they do not deserve it.
    The ICC in response posted a picture of the Pakistan men?s cricket team winning the ICC Champions Trophy with the text: ?You mean these guys??
    This response from the ICC became viral on social media and was appreciated by fans of the Pakistan cricket team. At the time this story was posted approximately 10,000 people had liked the response from the ICC.
    Geo.tv went through the Facebook profile of Rahul Jaswal which states that he is a student living in New Delhi, India and is originally from Shimla. 


  24. Waqas Dar
    Following the APS attack in Dec 2014, Pakistan had reverted to being an executing state. Photo: Reuters LAHORE: Justice Project Pakistan held a screening on Tuesday to show Pakistan?s first ever review under the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) before the UN?s Human Rights Committee in Geneva.

    During the review, screened by the JPP at SAFMA centre, the severity and use of the Pakistan?s death penalty was widely questioned.
    Yadh Ben Achour, a member of the committee, asked whether the moratorium would be re-established. He added that Pakistan must abide by the penalty minimally and with prudence.
    ?Although Pakistan justifies its use of the death penalty because of the APS attack in Peshawar, the death penalty is applicable to those committing other 27 death-eligible crimes, many of which are not fatal. All Muslim countries are dealing with terrorism and Pakistan is not an exception. Nevertheless, it must abide by minimum standards.?
    The committee also stated that only a small fraction of executions carried out were over terrorism charges. ?Pakistan has the right to defend itself against terrorism, but [it] need to apply the death penalty with prudence,? Achour stated.
    While Pakistan?s Human Rights Minister Kamran Michael stated that there is some flexibility in the interpretation of the ?most serious crimes,? the committee reiterated that Pakistan has ?gone over the limit? by issuing death sentences to those convicted of drug trafficking, having sexual relationships outside of marriage, or blasphemy.
    It demanded Pakistan to limit its application of the death penalty by ensuring that it remains fully exceptional, is reserved for only the most serious crimes, and is not used to execute minors under the age of 18.
    Pakistan has stated that ?the death penalty is imposed after due process and in the case of most serious crimes only.? It was also clarified that the death penalty would not be applicable on an individual who was below 18 years of age.
    The UN committee called for better implementation of the penalty in Pakistan. It stated that there was a need for judges to be effectively trained and violence by state authorities to be prevented, preferably outlawed.
    The committee also questioned why the National Commission on Human Rights chairman was not allowed to attend the review, and why the body had been put under the protection of the Ministry of Human Rights.
    The lack of a consular protection policy for Pakistanis on death row abroad was also highlighted by the committee ? a cause taken up by the Lahore High Court ?, which expressed serious concern about the high number of Pakistanis executed by Saudi Arabia.
    JPP Executive Director Sarah Belal urged the government to reform and engage with the civil society which could help them answer impending questions pertaining to the issue at hand.
    ?The road ahead is long and there is much to be done. We look forward to the Pakistan?s detailed response tomorrow,? said Belal, referring to day two of the committee?s meeting being held today.
    Rights activists, along with members of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, Family Planning Association of Pakistan and Human Rights Watch attended the session.
    In 2010, Pakistan ratified the ICCPR, a multilateral treaty that commits its parties to uphold and respect the right to life for all its citizens.
    Following the Peshawar APS attack in December 2014, Pakistan had reverted to being an executing state and had extensively made use of the death penalty, which had been taken up in the issues framed by the Human Rights Council committee.


  25. Waqas Dar
    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman pictured in Peshawar on Wednesday. Photo: Geo News PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday alleged that the purpose of the Panama Papers probe was to hurt the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
    The politician implored that the public should try to discern what the Panama matter was actually affecting, implying that the probe was negatively affecting the CPEC project.
    While addressing an Eid lunch hosted at the JUI-F Secretariat in Peshawar, Rehman rubbished the probe, referring to it as "a useless request that has become a huge deal."


    The politico-religious leader questioned the purpose of probing into the premier's assets, stating that the prime minister had not established his business empire recently .

    "Anyone who defies the Panama Papers probe today is called corrupt," Rehman claimed.
    He added that the Panama Papers aimed to create instability in the country than its purported objective of eradicating corruption or penalising the premier. 


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